Chelsea Hull

Many of you know about the loss our family is coping with this Christmas. Here is my Eulogy for Darlene Hughes, GMa. I am grateful Elijah is of age and mind to attend with me.

Heartfelt thank you for your calls, cards, prayers for my father

I would like to express my deep, sincere, condolences to the family, the friends and the friends who are like family gathered here today. We have suffered a great and sudden loss. My father asked me to speak to you all today and it is my great pleasure and honor to do so.

I am so nostalgic sharing this space with you all today about the very loving, funny, forgiving, hat wearing, her wonderful cooking, stealthlike tickle fingers, of the great GMA. Today I would also like to talk about the wonderful, fun-loving, yet incredibly life changing relationship between my father and his wife, Darlene.

Did you know they met online? on a website I encourage my father to join. I remember he looked over his shoulder at me and asked “Should I ask her out” My answer was, well, YEAH!!!

Their interests online were comically identical: looking for someone who likes to go out and do fun things, someone who can ride on a motorcycle, hobbies include spending time with grandchildren, gardening, trying new restaurants, enjoying live music. They had an instant, undeniable connection, or as Darlene once shared, they were ….soulmates.

I’m grateful to have met GMa during this chapter of Her life. We both courted our husbands at the same time and felt similarly having finally found them, they were worth the wait and are “the ones”. We may have had to kiss a few frogs …but finally we both found our Prince Charming The ones, we Really. Truly. Hoped would come into our lives. It was almost like we had dreamed them into reality.

Dating quickly turned into engagements and marriages. Darlene told me in no uncertain terms, she would treat me like I was her own daughter. She loved me just as I was, without judgment of my past (though shall not judge, let you be). she would travel alongside my father to Oregon in the winter to attend our wedding and visit in Washington after the birth of son, Elijah. And after the birth of my daughter, when my husband was deployed GMa practically moved into our humble abode to help me care for the children. And offer me a chance for a whole nights sleep. My children will remember her as their closest and most invested grandmother.

Over the years we joked a lot. I mean her how could someone in our family be such a chef, a true baker in the kitchen, carry herself so well, G-you were one classy lady- and you were always there to help.

Dad, we got lucky!

One thing I know for sure, GMa had a deep, personal, spiritual faith in God. She and I had exchanged testimonies, prayed for one another, and spoke often about forgiveness. I miss those talks. Forgiveness of one’s self, in today’s busy is often overlooked. to think about the wrong not that others have done to us, or that we’ve done not just to others but to really start with ourselves, and heal from whatever we need from our past. I was honored to be by Darlene’s side a couple of weeks before she passed. Having been forgiven and accepted as a new person by many of you in this room, meant so much to her. She spoke to me about it, her brother, her son and her family. She valued your acceptance of who she identified as having become a new, sober person. Your forgiveness of her and ability to move forward in your relationship with her was deeply valued. I admire that greatly in those of you here today.

I realize many of you lost a sister. The person who was there when no one else was. A person who would stay on the phone as long as it took to help you forgive yourself, to know that you are forgiven, that God never ever stops loving, that HIs love is enough and that you are okay enough to hang up the phone and move forward. Makes me believe in angels too.

GMa the great Scandinavian Viking-She kept a clean soul and her faith straight, she walked the narrow path and I believe she is resting in heaven surrounded by the smell o freshly baked cakes the sound of Neil Diamond, where all the doors are held open for you, and you have an eternal amount of extra kisses to use wisely.

Know not only that she is in the house of the lord, but look for her here. Think of her when you see a ladybug, a funny t-shirt, with the first bite of cake, play tickle fingers with your grandchildren, stay on the phone with someone in need as long as it takes, forgive and listen to Neil diamond.

Thank you all again for your love and support to my father-we should all be so lucky to have such a rich meaningful love story.