"I Would Like to Begin"
Dublin Core
Title
Description
This artifact is a draft of eulogy Jennifer Enoch wrote for her grandmother Rebecca Featherkile. The draft outlines Rebecca's life, focusing on the key relationships and memories that defined her. The submitter told the following story about the artifact's creation: A couple of days before the funeral, I sat in the front yard with my grandfather, mother, aunt, and uncles and asked them to describe their favorite memories of Grandma. Then, I organized their stories into a draft.
Creator
Jennifer Enoch
Source
Jennifer Enoch
Publisher
Unpublished
Date
Rights
Creator: Jennifer Enoch
Owner: Jennifer Enoch
Owner: Jennifer Enoch
Language
English
Identifier
Coverage
2000-2024
Performance Item Type Metadata
Genre
Eulogy
Material
notebook paper, pen
Circulation
Person to Person (Analogue)
Linguistic Text
I would like to begin by thanking everyone <crossed out> co <crossed out> for coming. Grandma would be thrilled to see so many of her friends and family gathered together.
My grandmother was a very complicated person. She was a loving mother, and she was extraordinarily loyal to her family. She has a tempestuous and spontaneous spirit that made her a jor to be around no matter what the situation. There was always something impish in her voice.
I began writing this with a desire to whitewash certain aspects of her life, but I don’t think she would want that. So, today, we all need to celebrate and remember all aspects of Grandma. We may tell some stories in whispers, but they <crossed out> are a <crossed out> contributed to making her the loving, funny, courageous woman that I love.
Rebecca Ann Overall was born on September 3rd, 1943 in Perrysville, AK to <crossed out> o <crossed out> Sherman and Frieda. She was their second child, and immediately formed a close bond to her older brother Bill. Uncle Bill was always one of the most important people in her life. As adults, grandma made sure that they always lived within spitting distance of one another. As she got older, we tried multiple times to convince grandma to come live with us in Colorado, but she always refused to leave her brother.
When we was just 19 days old, grandma's father passed away. Frieda picked up the family and moved to Taft, Ca where her parents and sisters lived. In Taft, Frieda remarried and had a third child, Dolorous. Grandma was also very close to her younger sister. She was very protective of Aunt Dee.
During her childhood, Grandma developed a passion for art. She loved to sketch and paint. Shorter after her marriage, Grandma <crossed out> presente <crossed out> took a sketching class. Because of her talent and physical beauty, Grandma was asked to serve as a nude model for the class. Although the offer appealed to her artistic and somewhat freewheeling nature, she eventually declined the offer, deciding that it was not appropriate for a wife and mother.
During her Junior year of high school, Grandma met and married Richard Berkey. They had five children: Patrick Richard, Stephen Wayne, Catherine Lynn, Robert Dean, and Debra Ann.
From that point on, grandma's life revolved around her children. She shared a special passion with each of her kids. With her oldest daughter, Cathy, she shared an interest in arts and crafts. The two would often talk about what they were making and what kinds of materials to use. With Pat, she shared a love of music. Uncle Pat played the drums, and grandma always showed up wherever he played. With her youngest son Bob, she shared a love of the outdoors. When Bob joined the cub scouts, grandma became a den mother, <crossed out> me <crossed out> organizing meetings, making snacks, and taking the boys on outings. With Steve, it was dance. Grandma was a great dancer, and she always wanted her kids and grandkids to put on shows and dance. Finally, she shared a love of sports with her daughter Debbie. Grandma loved football and used to help coach Debbie's softball team. Grandma cheered her on at every game. She was always very supportive of her children and grandchildren.
When I asked my Aunts and Uncles about things grandma used to do with them as children, they all mentioned how she woke them up for schools. She would barge into their room and sing 'You Light up my Life' at the top of her lungs. She was not a very good singer, but she went out of her way to be as obnoxious as possible.
Now, we cannot forget grandma's social life. She lived to go to honky tonks! The people and the atmosphere appealed to her social nature. She could dance and listen to music. She particularly like Waylon Jennings and Conway Twitty. Grandma also loved to play pool and was very proud of how good she was. More than anything, though, she loved to company and acceptance of others. She was a beautiful and outgoing woman and everyone wanted to be around her. Wherever she went, the party centered around her.
She also shared and active social life with her sister-in-law Jenneth. To hear grandma tell it, Aunt Jenneth could talk her into almost anything. One night, when thier car had <crossed out> p <crossed out> broken down, Jenneth had grandma get out and push the car while she poped the clutch. After a while, Aunt Jenneth realized that she had not turned the key over. For most of thier lives, Grandma and Aunt Jenneth were thick-as-thieves.
Grandma also shared <crossed out> some adventures with her sister Dee <crossed out> a close bond with her little sister Dee. Many of thier adventures are the whispered stories that I reference earlier, but no matter what the circumstances they never ventured far from one another.
One of grandmas defining qualities was her sense of humor. No matter what ther circumstances she could find something to laugh at.
Tell teath story
Overall, what Grandma wanted more than anything was love. All of her choices were driven by a desire to give and receive love. Her life was not always easy, and, like most of us, some of her choices were not without regret, but her heart and home was always open and fill of love In her later years, she made sure her children and grandchildren always had a home and supportive mother to fall back on.
The last time I spoke with my grandmother we talked about how excited she was the Debbie, Ashley, and Becca were coming to see her. Her greatest pleasure was the company of family and friends. She would have been thrilled to see us all here today. I know that she is watching us now, smiling, because she has gotten what she always wanted: her friends and family together expressing love for her and for each other.
My grandmother was a very complicated person. She was a loving mother, and she was extraordinarily loyal to her family. She has a tempestuous and spontaneous spirit that made her a jor to be around no matter what the situation. There was always something impish in her voice.
I began writing this with a desire to whitewash certain aspects of her life, but I don’t think she would want that. So, today, we all need to celebrate and remember all aspects of Grandma. We may tell some stories in whispers, but they <crossed out> are a <crossed out> contributed to making her the loving, funny, courageous woman that I love.
Rebecca Ann Overall was born on September 3rd, 1943 in Perrysville, AK to <crossed out> o <crossed out> Sherman and Frieda. She was their second child, and immediately formed a close bond to her older brother Bill. Uncle Bill was always one of the most important people in her life. As adults, grandma made sure that they always lived within spitting distance of one another. As she got older, we tried multiple times to convince grandma to come live with us in Colorado, but she always refused to leave her brother.
When we was just 19 days old, grandma's father passed away. Frieda picked up the family and moved to Taft, Ca where her parents and sisters lived. In Taft, Frieda remarried and had a third child, Dolorous. Grandma was also very close to her younger sister. She was very protective of Aunt Dee.
During her childhood, Grandma developed a passion for art. She loved to sketch and paint. Shorter after her marriage, Grandma <crossed out> presente <crossed out> took a sketching class. Because of her talent and physical beauty, Grandma was asked to serve as a nude model for the class. Although the offer appealed to her artistic and somewhat freewheeling nature, she eventually declined the offer, deciding that it was not appropriate for a wife and mother.
During her Junior year of high school, Grandma met and married Richard Berkey. They had five children: Patrick Richard, Stephen Wayne, Catherine Lynn, Robert Dean, and Debra Ann.
From that point on, grandma's life revolved around her children. She shared a special passion with each of her kids. With her oldest daughter, Cathy, she shared an interest in arts and crafts. The two would often talk about what they were making and what kinds of materials to use. With Pat, she shared a love of music. Uncle Pat played the drums, and grandma always showed up wherever he played. With her youngest son Bob, she shared a love of the outdoors. When Bob joined the cub scouts, grandma became a den mother, <crossed out> me <crossed out> organizing meetings, making snacks, and taking the boys on outings. With Steve, it was dance. Grandma was a great dancer, and she always wanted her kids and grandkids to put on shows and dance. Finally, she shared a love of sports with her daughter Debbie. Grandma loved football and used to help coach Debbie's softball team. Grandma cheered her on at every game. She was always very supportive of her children and grandchildren.
When I asked my Aunts and Uncles about things grandma used to do with them as children, they all mentioned how she woke them up for schools. She would barge into their room and sing 'You Light up my Life' at the top of her lungs. She was not a very good singer, but she went out of her way to be as obnoxious as possible.
Now, we cannot forget grandma's social life. She lived to go to honky tonks! The people and the atmosphere appealed to her social nature. She could dance and listen to music. She particularly like Waylon Jennings and Conway Twitty. Grandma also loved to play pool and was very proud of how good she was. More than anything, though, she loved to company and acceptance of others. She was a beautiful and outgoing woman and everyone wanted to be around her. Wherever she went, the party centered around her.
She also shared and active social life with her sister-in-law Jenneth. To hear grandma tell it, Aunt Jenneth could talk her into almost anything. One night, when thier car had <crossed out> p <crossed out> broken down, Jenneth had grandma get out and push the car while she poped the clutch. After a while, Aunt Jenneth realized that she had not turned the key over. For most of thier lives, Grandma and Aunt Jenneth were thick-as-thieves.
Grandma also shared <crossed out> some adventures with her sister Dee <crossed out> a close bond with her little sister Dee. Many of thier adventures are the whispered stories that I reference earlier, but no matter what the circumstances they never ventured far from one another.
One of grandmas defining qualities was her sense of humor. No matter what ther circumstances she could find something to laugh at.
Tell teath story
Overall, what Grandma wanted more than anything was love. All of her choices were driven by a desire to give and receive love. Her life was not always easy, and, like most of us, some of her choices were not without regret, but her heart and home was always open and fill of love In her later years, she made sure her children and grandchildren always had a home and supportive mother to fall back on.
The last time I spoke with my grandmother we talked about how excited she was the Debbie, Ashley, and Becca were coming to see her. Her greatest pleasure was the company of family and friends. She would have been thrilled to see us all here today. I know that she is watching us now, smiling, because she has gotten what she always wanted: her friends and family together expressing love for her and for each other.
Dimension
8x11
Files
Citation
Jennifer Enoch, “"I Would Like to Begin",” Museum of Everyday Writing, accessed May 14, 2024, https://museumofeverydaywriting.omeka.net/items/show/69.