Saying goodbye to a cousin and buddy.

Bruce received a phone call that his cousin, Duane, passed away from a debilitating illness that had plagued him for several years. Being the same age, they went to school and church together all their life and spent their free time hunting and fishing with other cousins nearby.

Bruce was Duane's best man when he and Linda married and Duane was in our wedding. I found some old pictures of the rehearsal and THE DAY.

Duane, on the left, and Dennis, another cousin, looking a little befuddled at the rehearsal, perhaps they did not get coherent directions?

 

Duane and Bruce at our wedding, "They went that-a-way?"

 

The Nielsen cousins are all very close, they get together for weddings, reunions and the sad occasions of funerals. I knew we would have company so kicked house cleaning into high gear to get ready. I'm going to give you a little tip - if it takes an hour to clean the upstairs bathroom, it's been waaaaaay too long!

 

At the funeral home Thursday night, Carolyn, Duane's sister, with Christine and Brian.

 

 

"A man should not be the best man at his cousin's wedding and then have to be a pall bearer at his funeral."

 

 

That poignant thought was voiced by Bruce's sister, Jean as we walked behind the casket bearers at the cemetery. 

 

Back at the church for lunch and fellowship, the cousins reconnect. L-R, Louise and Barry from MN, Sara and Mark from Cleghorn and Roger from Waverly.

 

 

Dick and Marilyn from Clive.

 

 

Duane's middle son, Brent with his girlfriend.

 

Nathan, Duane's youngest, who was showing his best 'back off sucker' move.

 

Quinn and Kelly, who may or may not claim their husbands......

 

...Aaron and John!

 

Some of the WI contingent, L- R, Jean, Debbie and Dennis who stayed at our house, then Foof, Janet and Brian, who was regaling everyone with a story that everyone has heard before but it's so funny, it gets re-told at every get together.

 

Mark was obviously delighted to get a second bag of potato chips!

 

John, also from WI, was telling old stories of when he, Bruce and Duane were palling around together.

 

Dick holding court with Troy, Duane's oldest son, with wife, Jen and their son, Ryan. The day got kind of long for a little boy.

 

Troy with his grandfather, Donald, Duane's father.

 

A lighter moment with Jen and daughter, Kylee.

 

 

There are no pictures of Linda, Duane's wife, she did not want any taken so I honored her request. But it is too bad, because sometimes those pictures because very precious. I don't pretend to be a great photographer but I loved it when Troy asked me to take a picture of him with Donald.

 

As usual, the Nielsen's are the last to leave, at the last funeral they were told to just lock the door when they finally left. We said our goodbyes to everyone but Jean, who was headed back home with Janet and Foof, where she left her husband, John, who was too sick to go to the funeral.

 

They wanted to stop by our house for awhile, it was a beautiful day so we had 'drinks' in the gazebo.

 

 

I think everyone agreed, they were tasty.

 

"YUM!"

 

Mango Daiquiri, Bruce?

 

All too soon the family left and Bruce headed back to the field to chop silage, and I went into the house to clean up a very messy kitchen after company.

 

 

Despite the reason for the visit, I think we all had a good time.