Sunday, September 12, 2010

A celebration of life...

A much needed rain fell from the sky yesterday morning. It was cool and I was tempted to turn on the heat, but am waiting until Halloween for that one.

I didn't wear jeans to the farmer's market, but instead wore dark slacks and a deep purple sweater carrying my old black umbrella. Even with the rain, the folks who run the market were still in good spirits as we filled our bags with tomatoes and beans and the last of the sweet corn and beans. I also purchased honey from my favorite local beekeeper, but kept an eye on the time as I hurried through letting the rain glide off my umbrella.

I put the bags in the car and made my way to the Congregational Church, just a a couple of blocks away in my sweet town. For yesterday was celebration of life for a wonderful woman who has blessed our town for all of her adult life.

Marion Eberhardt was born March 20, 1925 and died this week with her loving husband, Art, by her side.

Marion was one of those folks that I call 'salt.' She and Art met in Petosky, Michigan where she was a biology teacher and he was pursuing his PhD in electrical engineering. They spent their courting days watching sunsets and shooting stars. Art took a teaching job here in Angola at Trine University (then it was Tri-State College) and they immersed themselves in this town.

Marion was a nature lover and taught Art all she knew about the natural world. She was instrumental in preserving Wing Haven and establishing Acres Land Trust here in northern Indiana. She was a camp leader, a Sunday School teacher, a gardener, a singer, a friend, a naturalist all her life.

She leaves woods full of trees that she planted and seeds of nature in all the lives that she touched.

She will be missed in our town, but we are thankful that she and Art blessed us with all those years. Thank you Marion. May you now rest in the nature that you so loved.

If you would like to know more about Acres, please visit this site:
 Acres Land Trust

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