Harriet M. Stangland

In five short months I will be the same age my father was when he died. He was accomplished. My dad was extremely intelligent, high-ranking in his career before health-related retirement and very wise. He had a wry sense of humor connected to the twinkle in his eye but he was basically a no-nonsense kind of guy. Me? At the same age, I am but a child.

The only two people in the world who loved me completely and without reserve were my parents. Now that they are both gone from...

I miss you so much Mom.

This is how I remember my mother :) I miss you so much, Mama.

A Note From Mama

One of my sisters found this note from Mom and it means so much to me ... I am utterly alone without my mother ... she was my everything.

“My beautiful, beautiful Betsy Hamilton Stangland, I loved her more than anything in the world. My beautiful, beautiful Betsy, the love of my life. Please do not destroy these pages! Please! Scatter my ashes on HER grave so she will NOT be ALONE! (NOR WILL I)
Lakewood Cemetery
Lot#361 – West ½ section
Section...

It has been said that we live our lives in quiet desperation, and that there are always songs left to sing when we die.

My mother, and my nephew, Steve, both had enough songs in their beautiful hearts to serenade us until the end of time. We will always miss them, and love them.

Gone eleven months – and I still weep every day. Everything I see or do flashes a moment of memory between us, and immediately I know you are gone and pain engulfs my being.

I am so alone, without you, Mama. Every minute that we were together had more meaning than I even began to know just a tiny bit at the time. Such love and laughter each day – only now do I understand the sacredness of it. It was the reason for life – we all live for love like that. Your death has sent me...