Louisville has lost some of its sparkle. Some of its charm is gone. Sweet Betsy McConnell has donned her dancing shoes forever. She has traded her earthly sorrows for the joys of heaven. The joy that we have in knowing that her jig legs have been restored, still leaves an ache in our heart when we think of what we have lost.
The Lord was gracious enough to allow Annabelle and me to hop a military plane to the states in time to call Betsy before she danced on. Barrett was also able to call and sing to her from across the globe. What a blessing that was for us! Tears filled our eyes as we said goodbye. She was an intimate part of the beginnings of our marriage. She gave us a love of wild flowers and birds as well as a hatred of squirrels. She helped us see the beauty of backyard blooms and appreciate old time movies. We had many a banquet on a picnic table telling stories and keeping the flies away by throwing eaten ears of corn on the grass. We ate our first hot brown and shrimp and grits in her company. We would laugh over Barrett making her a cape to wear, pop and wheeling her in her chair, and calling her from upstairs to make a dinner date. She cried with us when we lost our babies and celebrated with us when we found out about Annabelle. Her love of children and her family was evident to all who spent any time with her.
That weekend, I was honored to celebrate her life alongside her loving family. Thank you all for grafting us into your fabulous family and giving us the privilege of knowing you. It saddens me to think that Louisville will no longer be a meeting place for us, yet the Lord is gracious enough to place many of you in our US destination spots; from Seattle, to Denver, to Virginia! Betsy will always be a part of the Craig twig of your family tree and we are better people having known this vivacious and bold woman who has given us many laughter filled memories. She not only shared her home, she shared her life and family with us. We cannot thank you enough for trusting us with her. May she dance like David in view of her Savior forever…truly dancing with THE Star.
Betsy was the sweetest neighbor.
I still hear her voice, her southern drawl,
“Bless you,,,,,and us too!”