Rita McGuckin Ransom

True selflessness is a character trait that is engrained in a slim minority of the population. The rarity of selflessness magnifies those who sincerely and genuinely possess the ability to put everyone else first. Nana’s lasting impression on each and every one of us will forever be her unfiltered benevolence and her allegiance to our feelings and needs. Nana, your kindness and love resonated from every beaming smile and tender hug you gave us. Your personality infectiously lifted our spirit as your charisma and charm filled the room with an air of gratitude. Your docile words would calm any raging sea that may be brewing inside. These lessons and uncanny gifts are things that forever forged the way we view things and we shall be grateful for every kind word that fell upon our ears.In terms of mourning and hurt, it is easy to simply cherish the amazing memories of the past. It’s easy to remember you laying out my clothes every morning for school. It’s easy to remember your delicate touch and soft words. It’s easy to remember you unflinchingly sharing your living quarters with a snot nosed kid who used the bathroom 38 times an evening. Any other person on the planet would have been driven batty by my antics, but somehow you maintained patience. You never held a grudge. Cherishing these memories of the past is soothing and heartwarming, but we must also cherish the future Nana emblazoned for us. You single handedly shaped each of our lives. The future decisions we make will undoubtedly be made with your teachings lingering in our minds. Your matriarch was founded in kindness, cemented in selflessness and built on strength. Let us all take the time to remember Nana’s unduplicated and forever appreciated personality and temperament.

It may be harrowing and seem like an impossible idea, but I assure you, that with death comes strength. Death gives us the strength to overcome. Death allows us the strength to cope and heal. Most importantly, death gives us the strength to persevere over one of life’s more challenging hurdles. It gives us the opportunity to learn blindly from the strength that is sadly cultivated. Nana, we are all strong because of YOU. Not only from everything you did during your life, but also for preparing us for the unknowns of the future. Your legacy will guide us through uncertainty. You will forever be loved, cherished and remembered. Rest in peace and we all love you more than any of my words could ever hope to describe.Written by: Dan Wanat