Good-bye Dad

Dr. William M. Furnish, Jr.

August 17, 1912--November 9, 2007

This past weekend we traveled to Iowa City

to say "Good-bye" to my father in law.

He passed away 2 weeks ago at the age of 95.

Alert to the end and in the arms of his oldest

child. May we all go that way.

Jim and his siblings honored their father on Saturday.
At times we were laughing and at times we were weeping.

His legacy is more than his accomplishment in
the world of Geology.
He leaves a family that loved him and loves each other.
That is more than many fathers leave their heirs.
















They say when you lose your second parent, you age a generation.
My parents went to be with the Lord many years ago.
My grandmother passed away in January.
And now both of my husband's parents are gone.
We have truly become the oldest generation in our families.

Some of My Favorite Things...

Raindrops on roses and whiskers on kittens do nothing for me. If I were to write a song about My Favorite Things (ala Sound of Music), I would have to include shopping with my daughter and my niece. These past 2 weeks I have been able to do just that with both of them.

Last week I met niece Nicole and grand nieces Emma and Grace at the Tyson’s Mall.
Shrimp & sweet grit cakes at Coastal Flats! Argyle socks at H&M!

I sure will miss having these special ones around when they move to North Carolina next month.

It just doesn’t get much better than that!

Today Abby and I kept up a yearly tradition when we walked the county fairgrounds for the Sugarloaf Crafts Fair.

We paid $12 to attend this event and paid $6.50 each for a mediocre quesadilla (should have opted for the gyro). And we came away with only one purchase (another wooden puzzle/toy---to go along with the others we have purchased over the years). Once again we realized that you can only see so much blue pottery; that I have an almost sinful attraction to the leather vendors while Abby is drawn like a magnet to the jewelry. Despite the expensive food and entry fee, I put on 8000 steps on my pedometer, realized I didn’t need a $265 purse, nor a wool kitchen rug, and had a most delightful day with my daughter.

Let’s do it again next year.

COLORADO VACATION 2007

Our First Vacation in 22 years Without Kids.

This was sort of a combo of 30th Anniversary and scouting trip.
It has been 2 decades since we didn’t need to lug along suitcases for small children, or remind teen-agers to pack underwear and toothbrushes. This also meant that we only had each other to get irritable and speak sharply to while waiting in long lines at the airport—especially while going through security and wondering why we are practically naked and

yet still beeping in the x-ray machine.

In addition to re-visiting a place where we first became parents and had made some wonderful friends, we are wondering where we should retire in a few years. Our first “test” trip: Durango!

Prior to the journey, my thoughts were on turquoise jewelry,

while Jim’s was on rugged jeep trails & mountain scenery,

proving that opposites do truly attract.

Dulles to Denver Direct

First Stop Aunt Helen and Uncle Duane’s home in ARVADA where cousins Kathleen and Melissa joined us.














Sharing family memories and fellowship
was the only thing better than the lunch.

Next Stop VAIL where we had a wonderful---but brief visit with

Dan and Susan in their beautiful home.

Even prettier than their Keys place!!

We headed for GLENWOOD SPRINGS & a reunion with Gormans!

We haven’t seen each other in 7 years, but who’d know it?
Susan can prepare a feast and challenge my brain at the same time.

John may now be a county commissioner, but he’s still a chef to me. I still salivate at the thought of those Huevos Rancheros.


We hit the road, so to speak, on our way to southwest Colorado


Our first day where the rubber didn’t hit the road…rather it hit the bumpy mountainous terrain. And Jim was in heaven…
Rocky Mountain High!!!

Three of our favorites in DURANGO: Bob + Scattie + Old Tymer’s

Who can ever thank McGraths enough for caring for our souls and
our daughter 22 years ago when she was born with a faulty heart.
And the best chicken fried steak in the U.S.
can still be found at the O.T.!!


Fishing with Doctor Kipp all day was a highlight for Jim—(sorry no picture)



Sherralee in her “Italian” bedroom has not changed a bit in 19 years.
Still a bundle of energy and a precious friend.

A bittersweet hike to our baby Veronica’s grave near one of Jim’s former favorite fishing spots. She would have been 21 this summer.

Somewhere in the San Juan mountains between

Telluride and Silverton (I think)

Wildflowers and more jeeping.

And I did get several turquoise pieces of jewelry…
but regardless of what Jim says, I did not buy out the town.

Good-bye Durango—heading to Middle Park


First Stop: WINTER PARK and nephew Dustin. He sure reminds me of my Dad in looks and work ethic. A treat to be with such a mature young man.

Betty Cranmer---86 and still tending her garden and the souls of those around her. I still consider her a “mother” in the Lord.
(which makes me Susan Gorman’s “sister” twice)!
She still lives 2 houses away from my old solar house in GRANBY.

Who would have thought 30 years ago that Glenna and Dave

would be growing old together building airplanes.

Still living in the mountains near GRAND LAKE?

What a treat to see them.

Over Trail Ridge Road to ESTES PARK and


a rendezvous with some of our oldest friends. Kay and Dan brought their 5th wheel all the way from Wyoming to Colorado to be with us. Sadly, for Jim, Kay forgot the pie. Yet, she still prepared some wonderful meals for us anyway.

Sightseeing and fellowship. There are friendships that span the years and the miles and never lose their preciousness. (is that a word?)

FORT COLLINS, my hometown.

How it has changed. Size, Atmosphere, but still some of the

best restaurants in northern Colorado.

You don’t believe me???

Why are there so many Wyoming cars crossing the

state line each weekend??

Since she and my mother were such dear friends,

being with Audrey King is a

sweet time for me. In a way it’s like touching my past.

She is the all that is left of the First Christian Church’s all time

great-gum-chewing-bridge-playing-foursome.

Vivian took me to her club where she trains sleek, streamlined women with great builds. They all wondered where she had picked up this chunky middle aged lady. Surprisingly, she didn’t seem embarrassed to introduce her sister.

After all that exercise, I had to go back to where my waitressing career began---Ft. Collin’s famous Charco Broiler.
They still serve salads with corn chex for croutons.

And the steaks are still the best.

Do I have the best looking nephews in the world? Dustin isn’t the only brother with a great smile. Devin also got the Burton mouth (mostly teeth).

However, Abe is the only one with a hammock in the tree. We all checked it out.

Jim & Jamie golfing at the club. Vivian and I shopping at the mall. Eating Mexican food. Visiting the U.S. Forest Office and seeing an old classmate. Driving up and down College Avenue. Memories of the past and making memories for the future.

Good-bye, Colorado, for now.

And on the way home…we never had an irritable or harsh word.

Looking forward to seeing our children.

On this trip we made no memories with them.

But we made new memories as a couple.

BAPTISM !!

It was 1961 and I was 11. Into the waters of baptism I was immersed---at least 3 times I think, once for each member of the Holy Trinity. The First Christian Church of Levittown, Pennsylvania didn’t have a baptistery, so we borrowed the Baptist Church that night. I don’t recall feeling a lot different afterward, only wet. Nevertheless, that event 46 years ago has been more meaningful than nearly every other event in my life.

Last month my husband decided it was time to take that step himself. Prior to his baptism he gave a short testimony. It was a special event and I continue to be more and more aware of the Gospel and the grace of our Lord.

Jim's Testimony

I was baptized as an infant in Tyler, Texas, the result of tradition and my Mother’s love for me. I have not wrestled seriously with the issue of “believer’s baptism” until now, although I’ve thought about it on numerous occasions – usually observing other adults being baptized. The pastor’s recent teaching on sacraments stirred my spirit.

I spent much of my adult life in a church that teaches infant baptism. Yet, when Josh preached about adult members of Covenant Life being baptized even if they had been baptized as infants and then I read the material handed out that day which said “if a child was baptized as an unbeliever, this is not a biblical baptism, and he should now be baptized as a believer,” I felt moved to resolve the issue.

This began as a matter of simple obedience – be baptized because the pastors and scriptures have convinced me this should be done. I did consider that I could sit this out, and no one would condemn me, or perhaps even know, except for my family.

But I began to see this more and more as an opportunity. First, to exhibit leadership, obedience, and humility for my family and perhaps others of you who also were baptized as infants and need encouragement. Second, to be reminded of the cleansing of sin that baptism represents. Third, and most important, to publicly proclaim that I was a sinner lost in the abyss of sin and pride until God saved me in the inexpressibly wondrous work of Christ. I have no way of knowing what my life would have been like today without God’s intervention, but I do know this – I am now assured of salvation and am counted among God’s righteous, not on account of anything I have done, but due solely to Christ’s death and resurrection.

Hallelujah! What a savior!