Oct 31-Nov 2 is known as Día de Muertos or Day of the Dead. This is a holiday celebrated by many of the Latin American countries, especially Mexico, which honors and remembers our friends and family members who died. I will not be able to conveniently visit the gravestones of those I remember because I now live in Texas and those resting places are over 900 miles away. So, in the spirit of the holiday, I am writing a collection of “calaveras literarias” about the deceased (rather than traditionally about someone living) as a humorous eulogy to help me remember the silly and funny aspects of those loved ones. Rest In Peace, Family
1991 – Kenneth J. “Kenny” Swaim
“Papaw”, my mom’s mom’s dad
Papaw let me drive his lawnmower; we hooked up the trailer with our tools, ready to clear the debris; I kept pushing the throttle forward, but he said, “Go slower!”; not paying enough attention, I drove the tractor up a tree.
1992 – Phyllis Jean Swaim Henseler
“Grams”, my mom’s mom
1997 – John “Johan” Schilling
Gramps’ best friend
1997 – William J. Swaim
“Uncle Bill”, my mom’s mom’s brother
1998 – Derek Alan Hartman
Classmate
2001 – Jessica Ellen Martin
Classmate
2003 – Fred Bloebaum Jr.
my brother’s dad’s dad
2004 – Freddie Bloebaum
my brother’s dad
2010 – Shelby Nicole McCarter
my youngest sibling
2011 – Reba Preece Swaim
“Mamaw”, my mom’s mom’s mom
2015 – Dawn Michelle Henseler Starr
“Auntie”, my mom’s sister
2017 – Elaine Henseler
“Nan”, Gramps’ second wife
2019 – Gilbert Ed McCarter
Shelby’s dad, my mom’s 3rd husband
2020 – Tommy Allen Oaks
“N9QAQ”, my mom’s 2nd husband
Musings of My Today 