I haven't yet put my feelings into words about dear Sister Hyer, who passed away on Christmas day, 2011. I have to do this. It's going to make me cry, I know, but I have to do it to remember her and remember how she made me feel.
I love Sister Hyer. She was my primary teacher. She was my leader. She was my friend. She was a co-leader. She was almost like a third grandma. Though I was never extremely close to her, I always felt like she loved me and cared about me in the same way that my biological grandparents do. She taught me how to spell "family":
Father
And
Mother
I
Love
You
She taught me more than that. She was the most wonderful example of how to be a good visiting teacher, not only by being a good visiting teacher, but by being available to be taught. Marie and I were blessed to be assigned as Sister Hyer's visiting teachers for a while. I loved visiting her. It was always such a warm, comfortable, spiritually uplifting experience being in her home. She welcomed us with a hug and let us go with a kiss. Caroling to Sister Hyer every Christmas was always a joy. She was so happy to have us in her home, and never allowed us to just sing on her door step. We were always invited in for a chat and to warm up, and easily enticed to sing a few more songs inside.
This Christmas was only a little bit different. We planned ahead when we would visit her. We brought some food with us to help feed her family who had gathered to her home for their last Christmas with their mother and grandmother. We were there only a little while because we didn't want to intrude. We sang a few hymns. She requested that we sing "White Christmas" and her favorite Christmas hymn, "Silent Night." She gave each of us a hug and a kiss, with us bending down to reach her warm cheeks and be enfolded in her arms. She whispered, "Thank you" and "I love you" to each of us. We said our goodbyes.
And then she was gone. That was the last time we saw Sister Hyer in this life. She died early on Christmas morning. She was able to spend the day celebrating with her husband, who passed nearly 30 years ago.
She was a wonderful, sweet, kind, generous, humble, Christ-like woman. Full of love, without guile. I love her very much. She will always hold a special place in my heart. I hope she knows how much she means to me, how much I value her love and her example.
I love Sister Hyer. She was my primary teacher. She was my leader. She was my friend. She was a co-leader. She was almost like a third grandma. Though I was never extremely close to her, I always felt like she loved me and cared about me in the same way that my biological grandparents do. She taught me how to spell "family":
Father
And
Mother
I
Love
You
She taught me more than that. She was the most wonderful example of how to be a good visiting teacher, not only by being a good visiting teacher, but by being available to be taught. Marie and I were blessed to be assigned as Sister Hyer's visiting teachers for a while. I loved visiting her. It was always such a warm, comfortable, spiritually uplifting experience being in her home. She welcomed us with a hug and let us go with a kiss. Caroling to Sister Hyer every Christmas was always a joy. She was so happy to have us in her home, and never allowed us to just sing on her door step. We were always invited in for a chat and to warm up, and easily enticed to sing a few more songs inside.
This Christmas was only a little bit different. We planned ahead when we would visit her. We brought some food with us to help feed her family who had gathered to her home for their last Christmas with their mother and grandmother. We were there only a little while because we didn't want to intrude. We sang a few hymns. She requested that we sing "White Christmas" and her favorite Christmas hymn, "Silent Night." She gave each of us a hug and a kiss, with us bending down to reach her warm cheeks and be enfolded in her arms. She whispered, "Thank you" and "I love you" to each of us. We said our goodbyes.
And then she was gone. That was the last time we saw Sister Hyer in this life. She died early on Christmas morning. She was able to spend the day celebrating with her husband, who passed nearly 30 years ago.
She was a wonderful, sweet, kind, generous, humble, Christ-like woman. Full of love, without guile. I love her very much. She will always hold a special place in my heart. I hope she knows how much she means to me, how much I value her love and her example.
1 comment:
I obviously didn't know Sister Hyer very well or for very long, but she made me feel like a member of her family, too. She was a very special lady and being at her funeral made me aspire to become a woman like her. I'm glad that she was able to be a little part of my earthly experience, too. :)
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