Here's a picture of Annie when she started wearing hats (because of the chemo treatments).

She still gave the world a beautiful smile during her 10-month battle.

Remembering Annie

Annie was a custodian evenings at the Elwood Middle School, and she loved her job. The superintendent of the schools shared this story at Annie's funeral:

"Her enjoyment of life was illustrated one evening when my wife and I were walking the hallways of the school complex. As we neared a corner, we could hear lively music. When we turned the corner, there was Annie dancing with her broom handle. She smiled, somewhat embarrassed, and gave friendly greetings."

I have taken the lesson of my wife's dancing with her broom to move through the enormity of her loss. Each morning, I face the many tasks of the day with music, and I dance through each task. I think of Annie, and I get my work done. And my three sons are the better for it.

        
"Work like you don't need the money,
Love like you've never been hurt,
And dance like no one's watching."

For my wife Annie, I delivered the following eulogy:

"Welcome"

"Come Gather On Our Porch"

"Friends are the riches of this home
And love is its blessing"

These are just a few of the messages that decorate our home and yard, messages left by Annie.

Twenty years ago this summer, Annie and I started dating. When she first visited my apartment, she was not impressed. She looked around and shook her head. She stared at my empty walls and impatiently asked, "Where are all your pictures? All of your decorations?"

"This is it," I replied. She left. But then she came back with a hammer,  nails, and some pictures. And the pounding began.

I had a small apartment, and so it didn't take too long for Annie to fill my walls. After that, what else could I do but buy a house with more walls---and, of course, marry the girl.

After we were married and after all the walls of our house were filled, Annie started spending time in our yard. "Come out and play," she would often shout to me.

"There's nothing out there to see," I would shout back. And it was true. There was nothing out there but grass. No trees. No flowers. Nothing.

What did Annie do? She grabbed a shovel and went to work. Soon there were trees, flowerbeds, and rosebushes. And later there were birdhouses and birdbaths and birdhouses and statues and birdhouses and lanterns. And there were birdhouses-or did I mention birdhouses already?

Again, Annie shouted to me, "Come out and play." I did go out long enough to see the Pride-Award sign that the city placed in our front yard. Then I went back inside. "Come outside," she shouted at me.

"There's no place to sit," I shouted back. Soon the back porch had a roof and lawn furniture. And Annie finally got me outside.

Stepping out into Annie's world was like that moment from the movie THE WIZARD OF OZ when Dorothy opens the black-and-white door to reveal a world of brilliant color.

And so, for these past many years, I've been living in OZ. I've been easing down that yellow brick road with Dorothy, Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man--and Toto too.

My Dorothy of course has been Annie. All that the fictional Dorothy thought about was HOME. So it was with Annie. But Annie didn't just think about HOME, she made our home. She devoted herself to creating a beautiful world for her boys.

And who are her boys? Let me introduce them:

First, we have the LION--better known as Jonathan. But our Jonathan is not a cowardly lion. He has his mother's courage.  For several seasons, he went out on wrestling mats and faced opponents bigger and stronger. And as a young cub, he had the courage to go out and mow yards and create a business for himself.

Next, we have SCARECROW--better known as Benjamin. Benjamin makes us proud by using his brain. He makes good grades. And he amuses the family with his quick wit and clever stories.

Finally, we have TINMAN--better known as Cameron. Like the fictional Tin Man, our Cameron does his share of squeaking.  (But Benjamin usually gives him a squirt of oil and all is well again.)  Also like the fictional Tin Man, our Cameron has a big heart. Cameron is a giving, loving spirit.  He demonstrates his mother's generosity and compassion, and he has been my rock these past few days.

Lion, Scarecrow, and Tin Man--these are Annie's boys. These have been her companions on her journey down that yellow-brick road.

And of course others have accompanied her. We can't forget TOTO: Through-out her years, Annie has opened her door and arms to several canine friends: Muffy, Thornton, Jessie, Sassy, and Missy. Annie has taught her boys the joys of adding a dog to the home.

The other day, a scene ran through my mind. The scene was from THE WIZARD OF OZ: The Wicked Witch while riding on her broom sky-writes the words SURRENDER DOROTHY. The citizens of Emerald City look up and begin asking, "Who's Dorothy?  Who's Dorothy?"

I can answer that question. I am the Wizard of Oz, and so I know who Dorothy is. ANNIE is Dorothy. Annie is that brave girl who didn't surrender to the Wicked Witch. She battled that Wicked Witch-for 10 long months.

On Annie's last day at home, it rained. I was standing on the back porch looking up into the eastern sky. Suddenly there was a break in the clouds and sunlight came from the west. Soon a rainbow formed. "Thank you, God," I said. Suddenly I was aware that Annie was on the porch with me. She didn't say a word. She quietly came up beside me and put her arm around my waist. The two of us stood there looking up at the beauty. This was Annie's final gift to me.

In the days to come, I will be enjoying the backyard garden that Annie created. And of course I will be searching for rainbows and waiting for Annie to once again place her arm around my waist.

I believe that love never leaves.
     
Mark Rogers, 1970
remembering
Annette Taylor, 1979

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