Dear old tante Jet

Our "tante" Jet died last tuesday night at the age of 90. She always told us that she wanted to live at least until 90.. and she did.

She was not really a relative of us but a relative in the way someone just belongs to ones family because you know them so well and so long.. Ever since I can remember, she is a part of our family. Every birthday or days like christmas, she was always with us, nipping her glass of port and smoking a cigarette. And no, she did not die of an illness caused by smoking no, she died of old age and the weakness of a cancer in her stomach. If it wasn't for the falling to the ground in her house one day, she would probably still be alive and living on her own in her house she loved so much. Instead, she had to be taken to hospital and never would go home again. I am glad we visited her as often as we could and in a way prepared ourselves for what was to be inevitable. We were able to show her our daughter Wende and our son Nils. We could see how she loved to have children around her even until the point that we couldn't make out if she really knew we were there.

As far as I know, she didn't have any "real" relatives anymore but very good friends like Mimi and Gerard who took such good care of her. and showed what good friends do for each other in good and bad times.

This monday we all pay our last respects to tante Jet, each with our own memories to share with one another. To us she was extraordinary. She had friends of all ages and new all about what was going on in the world. Never complaining, always friendly to everyone. She was our "tante".

We will miss her and never forget her.

And if there is a heaven, she is probably looking down at us saying things like, "my goodness, stop mourning and have a last glass of port or whatever, on my behalf".