2Homes*2Lives

2-14-08 I used to call Mom birdie because she ate so little when she was done making sure everyone else had what they needed and finally sat down to dinner with the family. She was laid to rest on Valentine's Day. It was a simple funeral that centered on what a wonderful mother she was, though she would have been the last to let others know. The funeral was at Girrbach funeral home on the corner, a half block from our old family home. Those who were a part of our past filtered in and we mingled. Rev. Kathy Brown from the Methodist Church conducted a gentle service about love, and especially love of family and how Mom showed it in everything. My husband isn't a fan of women ministers, but even he was impressed! To say Mom looked lovely in the casket sounds silly, but even she would have been pleased. We requested donations to the hospital fund, in honor of Mom's having worked there, but there were a few flowers and a cast stone angel that my sweet daughter in law's famil...

A gracious lady has walked among us and left an imprint that will long be remembered. As the second daughter born to Artie and Glen Densmore on January 29, 1919, in the Coats Grove area of Barry County, Audra grew up on the family farm during the prosperity of the 1920's and depression of the 1930's. Farm life taught her a persistent work ethic and a caring for those around her. She attended the Woodland Public Schools and had a keen interest in writing and music. Her writing skills were recognized as a finalist in a State essay competition. Along with her mother on piano, her older sister, Margaret on violin, and Audra on the traps, the Densmore Orchestra regularly provided entertainment at local venues. The family moved to Hastings when Audra was entering her junior year in high school. She graduated from Hastings High School in 1937. Audra was accepted to Oberlin College where she studied music and became an accomplished musician on the piano and organ. After college, she re...

Our mother Audra passed on 2-08-08. I arrived in Michigan late Friday. Stopped by younger sister Martha's on the way to have her go with me, but she was still in her pj's and had just woken up..she said she would go on Saturday instead, as she had been with Mom the night before and she was stable then. Mom had last rights earlier Friday (priest, minister?) before I got there. Younger brother Bob was waiting at the door when I arrived at the rest home and said Mom had taken a turn for the worst. I held Mom's face in my hands, stroked her hair, put cream on her one exposed arm. She was on her side and you could hear the water in her throat as she was unable to swallow. I thought how cruel it was that she was drowning in fluids, but they had tried to drain it and she bit down so hard that they were afraid she would break the plastic. They had put patches behind her ears to dry the fluids. The oxygen had been removed. She was only at 80% and should have been at 90%. After a...