Tuesday, January 11, 2011

My mother has made her final journey...


On the 12thof February 1928, a baby girl was born in Montevideo, Uruguay her name was Melba C. Smith. Born to Rev Earl and Bessie Smith... Melba and her sister Muriel were raised in Uruguay while her parents worked as missionaries. Melba came to the States in 1946 to attend college in Evanston, Illinois. She met her future husband, Donald Dungey at a baseball game in Hollandale, MN, while she was working with migrant Mexican workers. They were married March 23, 1947 and had 49 wonderful years together.

They had four children, William Earl and wife Kum Cha of Tacoma, WA, daughter, Joy and husband Jerry Liebel of Youngwood, PA, son, Wynn and wife Barbara of Aurora, CO daughter Nanette and husband John Dolan of Winston Salem, NC.

Melba had 6 grandchildren and 6 great-grandchildren.

Her life has been full with family and with her being an active part of her community. She was an active member of Wesley Methodist Church in Morgantown, WV; she has served in many offices and boards including Morgantown Women’s Club, United Methodist Women Circle, State and National Poetry Society. She is also active member of Red Hat Society and Power Squadron. She is an avid reader and writer which she has contributed richly to our cultural heritage. She loved listening to other’s stories and relating them to the younger generations.

She passed on today, to join her LORD, her husband and parents, son-in-law and friends. Prayers and well wishes are appreciated. The family is making arrangements and will be gathering in North Carolina as she wished.


Sonnet for a Son

A single day ago, an only night,
when he was just a laughing cuddly babe,
and joy and love became a ring of light,
as in my arms he grew; and I, I gave.

And then to school and multitude of friends
when he a fasinating boy became;
as house of knowledge his bright way he wends;
and picks the best of all his to tame.

I watched and loved as his day went
and turned to girls, and gangs and rebels all;
the Right was out, the wrong was in Hellbent,
and I, I cried; as he, he had a ball!

Now days of soldiering, my eyes tear brim,
and now I want to give the Moon to him.

Melba Dungey

In a Room full of Dragons

In a room full of dragons
and miniature people,
governed by wizards,
living in sand castles;

The accounterments of reality,
such as computers, bookcases, piano and books,
dwindle in importance
Against the fairyworld within,
Where good always wins,
and evil is conquered,
and suffering never lingers
and joy ever prevails....

And the room breathes Peter Pan childhoods
In the absense of a son gone off to desert sands,
to fight real wars....

by Melba Dungey

The memorial service will be Tuesday, Jan. 18, at 1 p.m. at the chapel of St. Timothy's Episcopal Church, in Winston-Salem, NC.

11 comments:

Shawn said...

Earl,

May God grant you and your family comfort as you grieve your loss and her gain.

Shawn

Jeffro said...

May the strength of the Lord be with you and yours. You have my condolences.

Leslie said...

Earl,
You and your family are in our prayers. God Bless.

Frank W. James said...

Condolences and our prayers from the James Family to yours.
All The Best,
Frank W. James

Old NFO said...

My deepest sympathy for your your loss Earl- Know that she has gone to a better place now. Thankfully, you got a chance to see her not too long ago.

Comrade Misfit said...

My condolences, Earl.

(I never know what else to say.)

Anonymous said...

My sympathies for you and your family for the loss...and rejoicing for the grace your Mother is enjoying.

What a mixed blessing the death of a loved one is to a Christian. While we mourn for ourselves and the loss that we've suffered, we rejoice for the reward that our loved one has gone on to receive.

Bittersweet is the word that comes to my mind.

Don't know if it will mean as much to you as it does to me, but here's a link to a song that my Brother wrote about this very thing. It was a great comfort to me at the passing of our Father years ago:

I'm goin' home.

threecollie said...

Oh, Earl, I am so very, very sorry. Our prayers and thoughts will be with you and your family.

Long-time RN said...

Oh, so sorry to read this news, Earl. My sincere sympathies and gratitude for sharing this wonderful lady with us. I so enjoyed the Christmas posts and reading how very special the holiday was to her.

Thoughts and prayers for you and your family.

breda said...

You were both so very blessed to have each other. My condolences.

Drang said...

You have our condolences.