Thank you very much for sending us the order of service and other parts of the memorial service. I did have some difficulty opening the attachment — I am still very much a technopeasant. -- However, Neil was here yesterday and everything became clear in no time. The comments and recollections were spontaneous, and Ian’s reflections on Amazing Grace was quite lovely . Your Grandma would certainly have been pleased.
Our love to you all.
Don
On Dec 20, 2016, at 8:18 AM, Douglas R Brown
Dear Uncle Don,
Thanks again for putting some of your thoughts down on "paper" for us. They were very helpful as we prepared for the memorial service for mom. I am attaching the a copy of the notes that we used. Gerry, Glen, Dave and I divided them up among us for sharing. Arlene was involved, but did not feel she would be able to speak. Your thoughts are included much as you sent them. Olivia and Elinor shared their own thoughts and those of the grandchildren. Ian played a rendition of Amazing Grace on the piano.
Take care and God bless.
Don Hepburn wrote on 11/12/2016 7:14 PM:
Dear Doug —
We were very sorry to learn of your Mom’s passing. She lived a long and full life and will be greatly missed, but she is freed from the discomfort and pain caused by the illness of her later years.
I understand that you will be delivering a eulogy at the memorial service on Monday and that you are hoping that I might have some comments especially about her younger years, that might be of help to you. I am not sure that I can be of much help. I was the youngest of three children in the family , and more likely to be the subject of stories about memorable events than the observer. There was an age gap of several years separating the three of us, and often the three of us did not even attend the same schools and had quite different social groups. Moreover I was a BOY with two older SISTERS, which may have affected my memories somehow.
Jean was an easy person to get along with. She was a good student , perhaps a little in the shadow of her big sister, and a serious student of the piano and organ. Actually, my memories of your Mother are more memories of her as a grown-up than as a student. She was the bridesmaid at our wedding. For several years after that we all lived in Edmonton, and there were opportunities for us to spend some time together. ( I seem to remember going to a square dance club with Ron and Jean.) Before long, however, we began moving around. The Browns moved west and east (from the lower mainland of BC to Oakville in the East). The Hepburns moved north or south — from Inuvik to Red Deer. The opportunities for getting together were gone. Contact was maintained by visits during holidays, occasionally (after the kids were grown up) two couples holidaying together (Georgian Bay and the Rockies come to mind).
Family connections were very important to your Mom. She established and maintained contact with cousins. When any of our family visited your family, she made sure that as many as possible should be included in the visit. Similarly with friends. Your Mom formed enduring friendships, keeping in touch with people she had known from grade one, from CGIT, from United Church Young Peoples, St. Paul's United, neighbours and others as well, I am sure. Your Mom saw to it that Joan and I met many of them, too.
Your Mom was always busy. She was an organizer and a doer. I don’t think you would call her an activist. She didn’t attend protests or organize petitions or call public meetings. But she did good works, and made this world a better place. I think she was a person with whom the Prophet Micah would have been well pleased.
Love
Don
