Time Marches On

        Lloyd and Alice Wise lived in the small river town of Herndon.  Most of their seven children - three sons and four daughters - were born and raised in that area.  Lloyd worked for a lumber company.  One year the company asked him to move to Port Trevorton, another small town on the opposite side of the Susquehanna River. So when the river was completely frozen they moved the entire family and their possessions over the ice, in a horse drawn sleigh.  The relocation didn't work out, so they later returned to Herndon, again over the river, this time on a river barge. 
          Later the lumber business took the family to Sunbury where Lloyd was eventually hired by a casket company.  For many years he built caskets as well as all sorts of furniture.  He was a skilled craftsman and we still have some of the things he built for my parents during those years.  Alice was a housewife who was known for her baking on their coal stove.  She is still remembered by the family for her wonderful pies (peach/raspberry was my favorite) and especially her big sugar cookies.  They never had much in the way of physical possessions, but their home was always open and there was always plenty of pastries available for anyone who stopped to visit. 
         All three of the sons were veterans serving around the world in wars.  But that was about the only time that any of the children ever left the Sunbury area.  The one exception was my mother, who after being married, moved to the Harrisburg area and eventually settled in Lancaster County.  The three sons  and the spouses of the other daughters were hard workers who labored in the Sunbury area and raised their children there.  None of them ever had much and several of them encountered very difficult situations, such as a son who drowned, one who suffered a stroke and a lengthy coma, and divorce. 
          They were all nice, hard working people who were kind and generous.  But only a few of them appeared to have a close relationship with the Lord.  However, later in life we were thrilled to see many of them come to know and serve the Lord.  And a couple of their children are now serving in key leadership church positions.  This is a real answer to the prayers of my parents.  
          Now I am sharing this in my blog because last week the last of the seven children passed away.  My Aunt Phyllis moved to heaven after living for five years in a small room, with two other ladies, in Manor Care in Sunbury. Her funeral service was a God honoring service that was well attended by family and friends. My aunt was a special person who was very close to my mother, as well as to our entire family. We visited them quite often over the years. In the days before laundromats, she actually did my wash for me each week while I attended nearby Susquehanna University.  Her late husband and I used to coach little league baseball together - the Mosquitos.  I have so many wonderful memories of times with them.  They were a gracious and warm family and I miss our many times together. 
          So her death means that all of the Wise children are now gone, although two of their spouses are still alive and living in the Sunbury area.  The generations that have followed this family have also encountered many challenges and several have already passed away.  And while there is still an annual Wise reunion - in Sunbury, of course - we really know few of those in the third and fourth generations.  
          So things are much different now.  Change happens. Time marches on.