"Aren't I the lucky one?"

I didn't want to go. It would take us over seven hours to get to New Jersey. I had to take three days of vacation time. But my husband, Bill, insisted it was the right thing to do, so off we went. And I quickly realized he was right.

Last Friday, Bill's Aunt Jeanne (also his godmother) passed away. She was 94 years old. Her life was remarkable on many levels.

She was born in 1919. Consider that she arrived a year after the Great War ended, and that certainly puts things into perspective.She attended college for two years, taught elementary school and married James in 1941. Her husband, my mother-in-law's brother, died at 44, leaving her with 8 children aged from 2 to 19. James, a brilliant executive for a major corporation, was able to provide for his family's future. But I cannot imagine raising 8 kids by myself.under any circumstances. (She never remarried.)

From 1948, the family lived in New Jersey in a suburb of New York City. Through the years, Jeanne, a staunch Catholic, was true to her faith. She was always teaching others, but at the same time, she was learning and growing. She went back to college and earned her bachelor's degree. She performed various duties at her church, which included being a lector, supervising the Paperback Book Rack in the church, and leading a book discussion group. Jeanne also traveled extensively and participated in eight Elderhostels.

But wait, there's more...

Jeanne's brother drowned when they were children, and Jeanne had a terror of being in the water. In spite of this, when her children were growing up, she forced herself to learn to swim. In her community, she was a rabid crusader for a community pool where everyone could swim (which, thanks to her tenacity, the city did build).

All of this is pretty amazing stuff, but what really struck me was how she continued to grow spiritually.  In reading about her faith, you might want to pigeon-hole her as a dyed-in-the-wool Catholic who followed blindly -- and you would be much mistaken. She was serious about her beliefs, but she was also pragmatic. There were many times when her initial reaction was to say one thing, but having considered the situation, she would relent. She was willing to listen, process and then make up her mind. This is what I admired most about her.

Am I done yet? Not quite.

In February, when she learned that she had cancer, the doctor presented her with several options for treatment. She said "no" to all of them. She said she'd had a good life and was ready to go. She wrote her obituary and planned her own funeral. There was an open casket, and while I don't usually think the body looks much like the deceased, I have to say that I swore she had a satisfied little smile on her face.

After the funeral, Bill's cousins hosted a luncheon, and several people came up to tell stories that helped illustrate Jeanne's life. It was a beautiful tribute to a life well-lived and a wonderful send-off.

She did good.