Funerals and families

I've noted previously of the passing of some of my friends here. First Paul, then his mother Rosie and last year it was his dad Ray. And now I have to add Marlene (Ray's sister) to the list. Marlene is the last of her generation. She did not have children. She had been a widow for many years, a cattlewoman, rancher and person with personal strengths and determination. Raising cattle was her life work. She could brand, herd, and birth them. She could buy and sell. She owned hundreds of acres of land on which to house them. Now she is gone. She was buried yesterday in the family plot at the remote little cemetery which most people do not know exists.

Marlene was raised at Comanche, which is now at the bottom of a reservoir. Later she lived in San Andreas. She worked in a bank until she retired, but at the same time she kept the cattle business alive. Marlene was diagnosed with Cancer about 6 years ago, and I never saw anyone put up a braver battle to survive. Two surgeries, multiple barrages of chemo and radiation could not stop the cancer. It spread to bones and throughout her body. Eventually it took her, but not without a fight. I think it was her strong will that kept her alive, although some joke that it was stubbornness. She leaves behind a nephew and two great nephews. The nephew had taken her to live with them the last months, and she died in the same room as Rosie and Ray when they lost their battles with other forms of cancer.

There was a nice Catholic service at her home church, and a big reception afterwards. I have never been in a room with so many cowboys. Who even knows many of them. She did. With the family dwindled down there was really no one to do all the work associated with putting on the reception, so of course my bff Cat and her husband stepped up and took it on. Marlene's great nephew is their grandson, so they are shirt tail relations, I guess you could say.

The food was catered by DaVinci's in Lodi. Gene had to drive down to pick it up and haul it back to the reception hall behind the church. Marlene's friends started to show up with desserts. We got ice and packed huge chests with ice and soft drinks and bottled water, cut cakes and pies, laid out the serving things, and made it ready for food. Wow! The food was wonderful, it is the traditional family funeral food! Raviolis, Chicken, Tri Tip, Salad. Wine, beer, coffee, lemonade. And in quantities that far exceeded the crowd's appetites. The unopened portions were donated to local shelters and churches. I'm sure there are a lot of people enjoying the good food that never knew Marlene. BTW we only had one person volunteer to help with the food. He was my hero of the day. A tall handsome cowboy. Wish I had taken his picture.

Marlene will be missed. It is very sad to see this proud family slip away. It probably will be a long time before there is another generation, if ever. Zachary is their only hope and he is still young and unmarried. Time will tell.