Marty's dad called yesterday to tell us that his Aunt Eilleene had passed away.  She's been sick for the past few years with her mind and body slowing deteriorating and losing touch with those around her.  While it is a relief to know that she won't have to be bothered with a body that no longer functions as it used to and a mind that struggled to remember, we are very sad that she is gone.

The first time I met Eilleene was the first Christmas Marty and I spent together.  On the drive out to his family's celebration he told me that she would be there, and that I shouldn't feel bad if she didn't warm up to me right away.  "She can sometimes be a little reserved as she gets to know you" he said.  I was introduced to her and we started talking and found that we knew people in common.  We sat together for much of the evening, chatting away and enjoying each other's company.

She led a fascinating life.  A teacher earlier in her life, she loved children.  Although she had none of her own, she loved to have kids around.  She was so happy when Martin was born and we told her his name.  Martin John Nelson, III... and that he would be called MARTIN not MARTY like his dad and grandpa.  This made her very sentimental as that was also her dad's name - another Martin to love.  Here is a picture of Martin, Eilleene and her dog Molly taken three years ago:


She was an artist, watercolors her medium.  She traveled all over the world to paint and meet with local artists to learn about their styles and techniques.  We spent one wonderful afternoon together when Martin was just a baby - we walked through the house discussing art, composition, subject matter, and the joy of painting.  Everyone in our family is lucky enough to have her art on our walls.  For our wedding gift, she gave us a painting for which she'd won an award.  But my favorite painting is one that is different from much of her other work - it sits above the mantle in our living room.


For many years she lived on Serpent Lake in Deerwood, MN with her husband George Kinney.  Years after he passed away, she remarried a publisher from New York, Roscoe Fawcett.  Her home is a testament to the many years she spent with each of her husbands - the walls covered in photos, paintings, and items they collected as they traveled.

She had a wonderful sense of style.  She helped to design her home pulling from architectural elements she loved and so the layout would be perfect for their life.  She loved to shop and wear beautiful clothes.  When Martin was born, she sent him some dishes from Tiffany's because "everyone should have a gift from Tiffany's". 

So today, on the day of remembrance, I'm thinking of Eilleene Fawcett.  May she rest in peace.