by | May 5, 2012 · 6:50 pm

“The Sky is Crying”

Lucy’s MP3 player has about 1,400 songs on it (all legal, of course). One of them, Stevie Ray Vaughn’s cover of “The Sky is Crying”, seems appropriate today. My backyard picked up 1.11″ of rain since midnight, and 1.46″ since the yesterday. The Twin Cities metro area was about 5″ behind on rain. I don’t see any standing water despite all the rain. I also haven’t seen any state birds (mosquitoes)…yet. I swear the Siberian irises have scuba gear on now.

The garden planting is almost complete despite the downpour. The garden work has been very therapeutic for me. Lucy and I would eagerly await the arrival of gardening weather. It gave us some wonderful quality time together through the years.

It’s been a tough week dealing with the administrative minutiae that needs done once a person dies. With the exception of one local financial institution, everyone I have dealt with has been sympathetic and helpful. Lucy and I tried to cover all the bases to reduce the hoop jumping for the surviving spouse, but it’s still tough.

Most of you know I start a new job on May 14th. I’ll be working in Eden Prairie as a Sr. Software Engineer for a company that is growing quickly but intelligently. The job is demanding and I’ll need to be as close to 100% as possible when I start. That’s why I’m trying my best to get the administrative stuff done so quickly.

Thank you again to everyone who has called, emailed, or visited. Words cannot describe how you have helped me.

Leave a Comment

Filed under gardening, music, rebuilding, weather

by | May 2, 2012 · 10:21 pm

An unexpected gift

I am still receiving sympathy cards. Yesterday’s mail also included a card and memorial candle from Fairview Hospice. They will call me tomorrow with information about purchasing additional candles.

Lucy enjoyed dahlias and lilies. Yesterday before the storm hit, I planted four dinner plate dahlias, two canna lilies and nine Oriental lilies. I’m also going to take another whack at growing morning glorys around the arbor near her rose garden. Like last year, I’ll be planting borage, cardinal flax, and bluebonnets. I know I’m running about a month late on some of the seeds. Now we’re getting into a rainy period. Yesterday saw ¾” of rain, which helped put a dent in the drought we have been in since July of last year. Here’s hoping we don’t get a hatching of mosquitoes to go with the rain.

Give your loved ones a hug from me tonight.

hospice candle

The Hospice memorial candle

Leave a Comment

Filed under rebuilding

by | April 27, 2012 · 8:35 pm

Another tribute

Lucy’s brother, Steve, just sent a very touching tribute tonight.

Memories are all I have now of my oldest sister Lucy. I remember Lucy took immaculate care of whatever she owned when we were growing up. Whether it be her Western Flyer bicycle or her 1st purchased car, a 1974 vinyl top Buick, and to all the other cars she owned, they were well taken care of. I guess that carried through the rest of her life as she took care of her home, her gardens, and her husband Ken. A wonderful trait to have.

Her listening ear will be greatly missed. When our Mom started having medical issues, Lucy was readily available to listen to me and give input if I were doing the right thing to see Mom was getting the best care. Lucy was unable to visit our mother when she was ailing due to the fact Lucy was beginning her battle with cancer. Even though Lucy was going to doctor visits and chemo treatments, she made it to our childhood home to clean it out before our putting the house on the market after Mom died and Dad was relocating to Burnsville. Just seeing her with us during this closing chapter in our lives brought much comfort to me.

I have fond memories of going on bike rides with Lucy.  Those carefree summer days of growing up are still vivid in my memories. As teenagers, we would pack up the family car and go to the family cabin on Lake Vermilion or a beach at Lake Leander for the day. Another fun memory is when we were in our late teens and stayed with our relatives in Princeton. We once drove to Ridgedale and spent the day shopping with what little money we had back then. I could depend on Lucy to be my co-pilot in our travels.

Lucy’s battle with cancer was reinforcement to me that life is so fragile and to live each day fully. We can never turn back the clock of time but can only move forward as Lucy would want us to do. Her presence on this earth will be missed but the gentle wind on a summer morning or the beauty a flower will remind me of my dear sister who rests in Peace.

I will miss you, Lucy, until we meet again.

Your brother,
Steve Honkanen

Leave a Comment

Filed under family, rebuilding

by | April 26, 2012 · 9:54 pm

Tributes, day three, and the blog will go on

Today is the last of the tributes from Lucy’s funeral. Some were from people who could not attend the funeral but wanted to share their memories. I am so thankful to everyone who took the time to write a tribute.

The blog will continue because Lucy’s story has not finished. Thank you for sticking with me through this tough time.

The tributes for today:

Please accept my deepest sympathies on your loss, and also accept my thanks for the time and inner strength it took to share Lucy’s journey with us on your blog. Your notes always helped friends and colleagues to keep up with both the good and the bad.

Lucy was an important part of our team at Gallagher and will be greatly missed for many reasons.

Anyone who knew Lucy knows that she was not afraid of hard work and was incredibly dedicated to her clients and colleagues. After her initial surgery and diagnosis back in 2010, she was very anxious to get back to work and focus on moving past the health challenge.

Lucy’s quiet determination to beat this thing served as an inspiration to us all. No matter what was going on or whatever set-back was being faced. Her inner strength was just incredible as she would take time off, have a surgery or chemo treatment, and then come back to work like nothing was amiss.

Being compensation people and consultants, we like numbers and quantifiable relationships. Here is my take on Lucy: Determination + Strength + Dependability + Grace + Smile = Lucy

I know that Lucy will be an Angel for you, watching and helping you as best she can.

God bless you, Lucy. We miss you.

Scott Hamilton
National Managing Director
HRadvantage, a division of Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc.

I am thankful for the opportunity to have known Lucy and be part of her journey for a short time. Her courage and determination to beat cancer was amazing. Being part of the Ovarian Cancer 5K walk/run with her and Ken in September 2011 was an inspiring experience. All of us at Gallagher were anxious to have her win her battle even though it slowly became more apparent that this was not to be the case. Thank you for sharing through Journey of the Teal Owl. I will miss Lucy very much.

Cathy Johnson
Manager, Technology & Operations
Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc.

I worked with Lucy for more than seven years and only really got to know her in these last two years. What I will miss most about Lucy is her smile and her positive attitude. She was a quiet person but I found as I got to know her she was very willing to have a conversation and they often ended with smiles and laughter. I don’t think I ever heard Lucy complain, whether it was about her job or her health. I will personally miss her, and our team will too.

Karen Pielow
Area Senior Vice President, Client Services & Operations
Gallagher Benefit Services, Inc.

Leave a Comment

Filed under friends, rebuilding

by | April 25, 2012 · 6:59 pm

Tributes, day two

One little piece of business first: the funeral home sent me something they found. It appears to be a button or insert. It is burnished gray, looks like a flower, and has a crystal in the middle. I think it may have been from one of the GBS people? I would like to get it back to its rightful owner.

Here are a couple more tributes:

To my big sis Lu,

I have wonderful memories of our childhood: I remember you reading to me and taking walks in the woods. You taught me how to play piano. You would take me to Duluth to see a movie or to go shopping. You took me to my first rock concert. Lucy, you were my rock; I knew I could always count on you in good times and in bad. I will miss you so very much and every time I see a bowl of pansies or strawberries, I will think of you.

Julie (Honkanen) Greenbush

My sincere condolences are offered to you in the memory of Lucy. As a former classmate of Lucy, I will surely miss the fact that I will never be able to see or talk to my very 1st friend in school. We were a small group that managed to make it through all 12 grades together. Lucy takes with her a number of my 1st’s we shared together. My 1st non-family birthday party, etc.

I have lived out-of-state for over 28 years and have recently moved back to Minnesota, back to the Pike-Sandy area, and haven’t had much of a chance to reconnect with all I have known. So this even saddens me as I feel gain this part of me will be missed. Again, my prayers are with you all, that time will soon heal the sadness and renew you with the joy of the great gift Lucy’s presence we shared and carry in our hearts.

Kelly (Kangas) Beyer-Sheffield

Sorry to hear about your loss. Hazel has kept me informed on Lucy’s ups and downs. According to your mom, Lucy has fought the battle until the end. She was a great person and I know you will miss her greatly. Our thoughts and prayers are with you. We know that she will be up in Heaven with Rob. Both of them will be watching over you. Just remember all of the good times the two of you had. That’s what I do when I think of Rob. You have to treasure all of the years that you had with each other. Take care!

Denise Van Steenwyk

Leave a Comment

Filed under administrative, family, friends, rebuilding