1994 – 2018
In Matthew 5:4 we find this scripture, “Blessed are those who mourn for they will be comforted.” Thank you David, for this place to share the memories where we can find comfort.
********************
I remember Cely called me back when we lived in the city house in Houston. She said she was in town and wanted to know if we could get together for a visit. She had a rent car and was prepared to drive out for a visit. I was thrilled to hear from her after her mother’s death because the thought of sharing time together seemed to assuage our loss and assure time spent remembering her mother, a favorite aunt in our family.
Carefully I explained to her how to find us by taking I-45 north. She arrived for lunch and we had a wonderful visit. When I asked her how the traffic on I-45 was she commented she had taken I-59 to Humble and turned west at Humble onto FM 1960. We both laughed when I explained that Humble was miles east of us and that I-45 was a more direct route.
And then, one story led to another.
I told her how I remembered staying with her mother one summer while taking classes at the Universidad Ibero-Americana in the summer of ’72. One of my classes was scheduled to meet at the Museum of Anthropology one afternoon. I allowed plenty of time to get there from Netty’s apartment taking one bus to Mariano Escobedo and then a metro to Pino Suárez, and still another metro to Chapultepec from where I walked to the Museum. In choking traffic, waiting for the bus and figuring out the metro, it probably took me an hour and a half to get to the Museum. I repeated the same route back to Netty’s for my return. That night, Netty asked me how my day had gone. Proudly, I described how I had navigated my way to the Museo de Antropología by bus and metro. “But Georgette, it’s just down the street! You could have walked down Schiller just a few blocks where it dead ends at the museum.”
Oh goodness. Cely and I laughed, exchanged an understanding look and chuckled some more. I was so glad she made that call, made the drive and in effect appeared on the scene after losing Netty. It was so good to remember, laugh and reminisce. Her spontaneous visit was such a comfort.
Another memory takes me back to when Cely and Tom were married in ’62. My father drove us to Houston for the wedding and after checking into the hotel, we went on to gather with family at Inverness. Cely met our family at the door with a wonderful smile, ushered us in and then took us to a table at the top of the staircase bedecked with wedding gifts. As we viewed the wedding gifts, she announced to my parents regarding their wedding gift: “The flatware is going to Taiwan!” My 12-year old self was impressed she remembered their gift among so many and I remember feeling so special to know that in carefully selecting what could make the trip thousands of miles away to their first home, she had selected the flatware to make the trip. The memory still makes me smile. Cely had a way of making everyone in her presence feel special.
The Scipio de Kanters are so saddened by this loss. She will be remembered by all of us in so many ineffable ways. And when we do find the words, it will be transmitted as a memory, a story of how she made us feel.
Note: These memories can be dated from 1962, 1972 and the early 2000’s.