Dorothy Herzel
To my cousin Pauline,
I will never forget meeting you and your family 42 years ago. You seemed a young and devoted wife and mother. You and George, Jim and JoAnn welcomed me with open arms when I had just moved to a new and unfamiliar city. It was so comforting to have family there. You and your family wasted no time showing your hospitality with dinners, birthday cakes and holidays spent lounging with old photo albums. I learned so much about my father’s large family from your stories and pictures.
You even let me and my cat! (Herky) stay at your home for a few nights when an ice storm knocked out the heat in my apartment. Know that was a new experience for you, as you were used to animals being outdoors. But you made Herky feel right at home as well.
You made me feel like my second mother with your love and attention, especially on my birthday–you never missed one, and always a card every year after I moved away. I enjoyed seeing all the news and pictures you sent of new babies in the family, as you were the matriarch who faithfully tended all the genealogy records. The whole Herzel family will surely miss that. You knew more than anyone, and remembered so far back.
We often traded holiday dinners in our homes when I couldn’t travel home. But my fondest memories are of you in your beloved, cozy kitchen, fixing a nice dinner and dessert, and the adjoining table where we shared many meals. I remember the night your brother Earl and Dorothy visited, and we laughed and played cards. What a pleasure to finally get to meet him. He was warm and caring, as you were.
I know you will finally now get to be with not only your one and only husband George, after so long, but also your parents and Earl again, and your older brother Harry Jr. who died as a babe that you were never able to meet.
Life here will not be the same without you in it, but you will always be remembered, and your loving family has some peace knowing you are still with loved ones in a place where you are again strong and energetic, and able to serve all those you enjoyed doing so, as all who remain will always remember you doing with joy. Some day we’ll join you again.
Until then, love to you, Cousin Pauline
Dottie Herzel