My cousin Russ was a dear, dear soul and always kind. I have so many memories. When we were all kids, family gatherings were serious business at the farm in St. Eugene. There was the adults' table, the teens' table and the kids' table. As younger cousins came, our group got bumped to the next level. One time, my other cousins were insisting that no one would sit beside me. I was kind of a brat and I don't blame them, in retrospect. Russ was sitting on the couch just inside the door of the kitchen and after listening to one after another state that they would not sit beside me, he ambled in from the kitchen and announced that HE would sit beside me. I was probably around 10 or 11 and to this day, I remember that moment and it cemented our closeness from then on.
Another time, I was in L'Orignal for Thanksgiving. Sharon always cooked her big meal at noon and left sandwiches and such out for supper. Sharon had gone upstairs for something, and Russ and I looked at each other with mischief. I said "cover me, I'm going in" because we both wanted a sandwich and supper wasn't quite ready to be served. He grinned, took up watch, but only on the condition that I snitch one for him too. We didn't really need to steal the sandwiches, of course, but it was a bit of fun between us.
But most of all, I remember looking down the lane at the graveyard when I buried my mother without the priest to assist, and Russ was walking down the lane towards me. I had called to tell him whne the burial was because mom was always so fond of him and I wanted him to know, even though I knew he wouldn't be able to attend. He had asked Dustin to pick him up and bring him along. On that horrible day, when I had to say the final goodbye to my mother, and say the prayers over the grave to boot, Russ had found a way to be there.
He was a dear, gentle, funny, kind soul and I am heartbroken that I won't see his grin again. I loved him fiercely and never forgot his kindness to a little girl. I'll miss you.
