After a series of strokes, my Aunt Mildred passed away last week on March 25th … on my BDay.    Aunt Mil was one of the dearest, sweetest, classiest ladies I ever met.  She always had a kind word for everyone and a smile on her face.

Aunt Mil had an infectiously loud, brazen laugh that got your attention.  Since she was perpetually in a good mood … she’d use it often.  It had a sort of rat-a-tat-tat cadence to it.  One part chortle and one part cackle.  But it was her signature trademark whether she knew it or not.

As God as my witness, Aunt Mil had the exact same look for fifty years.  Decades came and decades went and somehow Aunt Mil managed to stay perpetually locked in the late ‘40’s or early ‘50’s.   She made the most of that era … that’s for sure.  She forever sported short, curly-Q, naturally wavy hair.  Her clip-on earring collection and glamorous costume jewelry always left her sparkly and bedazzled.  And she loved over-applying her rouge and matching lipstick.   (I remember a few times where Aunt Mil would have so much lipstick on, she’d occasionally go outside the lines – maybe for dramatic effect.  She looked like she’d just killed a water buffalo on the Serengeti.) 

Aunt Mil was old school.  She was a “lady who lunched”.  If you asked her to go to lunch, she was instantly thrilled beyond words.  If you said you’d be there at noon, she’d be ready by 11am – just in case you were early.  And she never wanted to go any place fancy … she’d be just as happy with a Chinese buffet as a four-star restaurant.  Those are some of my best memories of Aunt Mil … girlfriend loved to eat and be social.

Aunt Mil also turned me on to hot tea.  I’d come over and she’d put a kettle on.  She’d serve tea to me like I was another one of her 75-year old biddies.  She’d let that teapot whistle for at least sixty seconds before pulling it off the stove.  “Tea isn’t good unless the water is REALLY hot,” she informed me.  To this day, I still make tea in the morning instead of coffee.  And I always think of her.

I teared up a little when I deleted her number out of my phone.  I wished I would’ve called her more.  Isn’t that always the case?  As soon as you’re done reading this … call your mother … your father … or your Aunt Mil. 

Aunt Mildred was technically my Great Aunt — and was, indeed, a great aunt!  She was very religious … loved to sing … loved her scriptures, her devotions and her prayers.  She was a proud strong woman who outlived two husbands.  And all she wanted in life was to know she was loved.  Well, I love you Aunt Mil.  Everyone did. You were quite a character.