Hello Mom. It's me, Patti.  I want you to know that you are my special angel in heaven, watching down and protecting all of us. I know also that you are with a lot of angels. Well, my niece, Cheryl Lynn Gates Kepley passed away last Sunday evening. I would like it very much if you would help her as she will be new up there. I never got to see her face to face, but i come to love all of that family, my family. They are having her viewing tonight, but she isn't there, as she is in heaven. Mom, did you see daddy Kepley there? How about my brother Mike. My  sister jeanne is gone too. Is she there with all of you? I know you are all together as that's how it is supposed to be.  You are all my special Angels.   I do believe there are Angels watching over us.  You are all missed so very much, and not only by me, but by everyone you touched. I will hold all of you in my heart forever until i see you again. Oh yes, tell Grandma Phillips i love and miss her also.                                    Love   always,     Patti                                                                                                                                                        

I remember when i was young, and my Mom and i would do things together. She took me out in the yard where she would loving place me on a blanket on the ground. She would sit with me and point out all the birds as they flew over our heads. There was one bird in paticular she loved. It was the beautiful humming bird. She would watch as long as they flitted around the flowers. I wish i could of been a humming bird, for she loved them so. Oh, don't get me wrong, she loved me too, but there was just always something in her eye's that always made my daddy smile. We spent a lot of time together, and i will always love that smile of hers, as she didn't smile a whole lot. I wish i could see that smile and that twinkle in her eye one more time. You know, sometimes we don't do enough for our parents and siblings, and i regret not doing more for my MOM. I regret not going home to see more often. Those things i will have to live with, but i hope she knew just how much i loved, and still love her. I hope she knos i am sorryfor all the pain i caused her in my lifetime. words were spoken that i know hurt her, and for all of these things i cry. I pray to see her again one day, and maybe she will see how sorry i am andhow much i love her.    I love you Mom, Forever      Patti, your first born daughter.

My Mother was a very unique person! She seemed sad in her life at time's, and i often wondered why. Well, we found out why, but i won't go into that as she kept it to herself, only telling one person, her loving husband Tommy.
   We shared some very special times, her and i! For example, she would be sitting on the couch, and i would sit in the floor in front of her where she would play with my hair and rub my face, and i would tenderly kiss her small little hand.  Those special moments will remain with me forever. I alway's knew i could come to her and talk to her about anything. She alway's seemed to know what to say, and a lot of time's she would say " Just Follow Your Heart And It Will Never Lead You In The Wrong Direction"  Sometime's she would have a direct answer, then say,"You can take my advice or do it your way".I alway's tried it my way, being a kid , then when it failed i would do it her way, and everything would be alright.!!   If there is one thing i could say to kid's today, it would be, listen to your parent's, they have walked in your shoe's, and life was tough for them also, but they definitely won't lead you in the wrong direction. I regret not alway's listening to my parent's, as it could sure get me in a heap of trouble.  I am sure that i am a much better person because of my Mom and Dad. Thank you for your love, for protecting me from the people who liked to pick on me, and for telling me to stand up to the bully who gave me the hardest time. When i followed that advice, i won as she didn't even show up to take the ass-whooping i was ready to give her. Got Ya Patsy. To my Mom, Esther Barnett, thanks and please keep watch over all your children, and remember, you were and still are our Angel.   I will see you again, and get to meet the man who was my Daddy finally when the Lord call's me home.   This is in memory of your Birthday on Dec. 21, 2012.  Happy Birthday and may God give you your wings. Imiss you so very much Mom, forgive me for the things i did that caused you so much pain.                      

I will alway's remember the best of times with my Mom! She was easy to be with sometime's, but there were times when thing's weren't so great either. I only want to remember the good time's and there were quit a lot of them. I'll alway's remember our shopping trip's and stopping at.  sander's and eating hot fudge sundae's. How we would laugh and make fun of the weird clothe's they made back then. Our Mom could embarrass us too, and she would laugh at us for telling her to stop. She could sure be a lot of fun.        Mom was never one to take any crap off of anyone. I remember a time when she and our neighbor Chuck called my sister Nancy a whore!  Wow, Mother went off on him and tried to get him to come out in the street and meet her. I do believe Chuck was afraid of her, as he chose not to come out into the street. Wow, when Mom was mad, u sure did not want to get her any madder, as she would give u some good old woop-ass. No one could call her babies names or put them down, as she would defend us to the death.  When u were diagnosed with Alzheimer's my heart dropped to my feet. When i would come to visit, i would help Shirley take care of you, and believe me, you sure could be a handful. Mom, I miss all those good time's we shared, and i miss not having u to talk too when i am blue. Your love with remain with me till the day i die, and I have forgiven u for the bad time's, just as Jesus forgave you and excepted you into his arm's that day in the nursing home, when you said yes to the Lord.   I was so proud of you, especially that day. So my dear sweet Mother, rest peacefully in the Arm's of the Father. Thank you and Daddy Kepley for bringing me into the world, and thank you for finding me such a wonderful new Father in Tommy, the only Dad i really got to know. Tell Daddy Kepley, Grandma Phillip's, and the rest of my Aunt's and uncle's, who made it to Heaven that i love them and will see them one day in Heaven. Oh, and Mom, Shirley did a great job taking care of you, and is doing a great job of taking care of the man you loved, Daddy Tommy. He still misses you so much, as do i. Oh GOD how I miss you. Every year that your Birthday comes around, I buy a card, then remember u are gone. When the anniversary of your death come's around I remember you and cry.  You may be gone, but you are not forgotten and never will be. You are my Angel, and protector along with Jesus, and I am safely wrapped and holding on to my sweet Angel and my Lord Jesus Christ.                                                                                                                                 Your Loving Daughter, Patti                                                                        

I am Esther's Granddaughter Alicia, I have lots of fond memories of my Grandmother.I can still hear her laugh and see that precious smile.I always enjoyed going to visit them in the summers and spending time with her at the lake.Always got excited when I knew they were coming to Virginia to visit.I just hope she knew how deeply I loved her..I wish I would have got to spend more time with her and had alot more memories, But I know I will truely always cherish the ones I do have.There is days I thank she is still here and I can see that beautiful Smile and it melts my heart.It was the hardest thing I have every had to do to watch her slip away but it always  brought peace to me to know she never had to suffer anymore.Grandma Barnett U will always hold a special place in my Heart, I miss u with everything in me, And will always Love U!!!I know one day I will see ur smile again!!U will always be My special Angel!!!       Love Your Granddaughter                
                                                  ALicia Dawn (Cadle) Reynolds

I have so many memories of my mother. Some are good and some are bad. I just know that as time has passed I have forgotten most of the bad memories and cherrish the good ones.

We used to have a good time when we went shopping together.We always made a stop off at Sanders Ice Cream. That made shopping worth while even if we could not find any clothes that fit us. We used to laugh and say oh well maybe next time.

My heart went out ot you when you were diagnosed with alzheimer's. You didn't know what was going on and I did not know how to explain it to you so that you would understand. I only know that I wanted you to know that you were loved and that as long as i had a breath in me that I would take care of you and make sure that you had the things that you needed.I hope that in your eyes you seen the love that I had for you and still do.


Love you Daughter

Shirley     


    
 


    

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