This is the face of KINDNESS….

This is the face of KINDNESS…. 

Those of you who have read my blog for a good amount of years, know that I have a steady fan.  She doesn’t have a computer, so I print out my blog once a month and send it to her.   I don’t know how I started that.  But she raved so much about it.. I couldn’t stop sending it to her.. even last months.

This month is her birthday..just next week... she would be 96! I have known her for 67 years.  And if you are a long time reader, of mine. You know the story so you skip this paragraph.   For those who aren’t..  here is how I met Jo. 

When I was 15, Jo and her guy, Herbie were invited to their first Thanksgiving dinner at my parents house together. See we knew Herbie for ever.  He was the closest to a brother for my mom. My parents lived in his father’s shack while waiting for me and Dad to finish the house he was building. Herbie was just joining the Navy. When he got out in 1946, he was my brother and myself, babysitter.   About 9 years later he met the best of soul mate.  And this would be her introduction to the Richardson family.  After dinner, the adults always went to the living room and I had the kitchen duty… of clean up and washing the dishes.  I was just getting ready to do the dishes.. when this angel (she was to me) came into the kitchen and said…  “I will wash the dishes and you dry and put them away, as I don’t know where they go.”  Just as we were starting, my mother showed up at the scene and told Jo…  “Cis, does the dishes, come on in with the adults.”  Of which, Jo told my mother she would be in right after she got done washing the dishes… because she want to.  From that moment on.. Jo was my angel..  Many years later .. I told her that I had adopted her as my Aunt.

She was the most kind person. Always helping others. Always loving.  The only one who matched her was my Aunt Harriet.  My dad’s sister. 

When ever I went back to R.I. for a visit.. top on the list was visiting with Herbie and Jo.   They both were so kind.. and Herbie came to my defense several times when I was little and got into trouble with my mother.  Herbie worked at the War College in Newport R.I. on the base, and that is where he met Jo.  He was a drummer with a band.  And he worked the parades selling balloons and etc.. which hired me when I was 15. 

These two were the best. The kindness of kind.. word don’t match these too..  so I will leave it here with the picture of the two of them… 

God Bless, Auntie Jo.. I will miss our phone calls, your always birthday cards as well as Thanksgiving and Christmas.. I know you are happy up there with the love of your life .. and your brothers.  I will miss you… 

Oh, yea… Auntie Jo left me a gift… the gift of a new friend.. Her best friend..  Regina..  who also inherits my monthly blog, as she and Jo use to read them.