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Auntie Harriet

My Auntie Harriet died on Kauai last night. She was 92.

My paternal grandfather, Grampa Cecil, had four brothers. The youngest, Uncle Joe, died in childhood after being run over by a truck. The remaining four, Uncle Willie, Uncle Henry, Grampa, and Uncle Eddie, played lots of ball, married, and sprung ’em off in the forties and fifties.

Uncle Henry died in his early thirties of an ulcer. The other three boys have all since been forced to throw in the towel, each leaving widows. Auntie Harriet, Gramma, and Auntie Mary. I love ’em all.

Auntie Harriet was married to Uncle Willie.

One of the things I’ll always remember about Auntie Harriet was trivial in nature. It goes something like this: apparently her father was a very old man when she was born. Waaay up there. And like a trooper off the old block, she’d been holding her own there for quite a while too. So putting the two lifespans together and doing a little math, we realized that we were hanging out with an auntie whose DAD WAS ALIVE AT THE SAME TIME AS ABRAHAM LINCOLN.

That one never really sunk in. Now, it does.

But I think the two things I’ll remember most about Auntie Harriet was about all I could ever ask for in a grandauntie: she loved to play cards, and she had an awesome smile.

2 comments… add one
  • Steph February 14, 2008, 9:10 am

    I’m gonna miss her. It’s weird that so much of that generation just isn’t around anymore. And, with Auntie Harriet especially, she always made me think of how great our grandfathers’ taste in women was. I mean, think about it- your grandma, my grandma, Auntie Harriett. Even Auntie Tinka and Auntie Jo. Strong, independant, opinionated, hilarious, loving, drinking, card-playing Catholic matriarchs, who kept their Albao men in line. Here’s hoping that trend continues in the Albao lineage.

  • winni February 15, 2008, 8:00 pm

    i would like to add my mom caroline albao los banos who was a very strong woman…who stood by my dad after he was paralyzed in the korean war at the age of 27! mom traveled with him when he was appointed to the american battle monuments commission under pres. clinton. the albao women are strong, beautiful women. i’m proud to be a part of this family.

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