The dash denotes a timeline. However, it represents so much more. That one character embodies a lifetime. The earthly whole of a person. The whole of this woman, a phenomenal woman.
Augusta Nelson told us she was born in Little Rock but Ancestry.com said it was Doddridge. She was the 7th child of 13.
The family moved to Arizona when ‘Gussie’ was a baby. She began talking early, she began walking early and all throughout her life, she was always talking and moving.
When she was in kindergarten, she talked to two young neighborhood girls and they became life-long friends. They attended grade school, middle school, high school and college together and picked up other true friends along the way. One of them told her daughter, “I never doubted your mother’s friendship. No one could tell me anything about Gus”. Loyal friend – her dash.
Augusta worked 25 plus years for the city of Phoenix. One of her early duties was recruitment and screening of firefighters. She contacted men in the community to advise them the city was hiring and needed some diversity in the ranks. Advocacy and activism – her dash.
Augusta instilled in her daughters to ‘look over the fence’. There’s a world out there you need to see. The crack in the road. It will be here when you get back. So will that little fella in front of the store. Same little fella. Same store. Live life to the fullest – her dash.
Augusta loved working with, being with and having fun with family. She enjoyed playing Bid Whist and talking smack. She loved shopping (every single day) on her lunch break and with her grandson. Love of family – her dash.
Augusta joined FIBC 40 years ago. She sang in the choir almost as long. Even as her memory began to fail, she could remember the songs and her notes even when the other tenors could not. She remembered her church. She remembered her prayers. She remembered her savior. Good and faithful servant – her dash.
Augusta leaves this earth but never our hearts. Her family, friends, colleagues and random strangers she has encountered were blessed to have loved, known and been around her.
An extraordinary lady that is now beyond the dash.
