Friday night at Trinity Mission the staff members were holding their Tree of Memories Holiday service. The service was in remembrance of the residents that passed away this year, 2010.

There was lots of food for all to enjoy as staff and many family members sat around the the Christmas tree putting angel ornaments on the tree in memory of those that died this year.

Chris Baker (marketing director) said, “This is our ‘Tree of Memories’ Holiday Service and we are celebrating the lives of all the residents that we have lost this year. We have lost twenty-six in total for 2010, so we have invited all the family members back to our facility just to commemorate their lives.”

Each resident had an individual ornament, their name was called out and either a staff member or a relative came up, put the ornament on the tree and then told a favorite Christmas memory or something about the person that was very special to them.

“The tree will actually go in our chapel for the holiday season and then after the holidays are over with I will be mailing the angels out to the relatives for a family keepsake,” explained Baker.

The program began with a prayer said by Barry Wilsford and then Ava Maria was played.

There were so many nice memories being shared and here are a few of them.

Betty Boyd came up when Emma Davis’s name was called and put her angel on the tree. Betty said, “When I was born on December 22 Emma brought me a very special gift. She gave me a poem that she wrote and it meant so much to me I have never forgotten it and I have held onto it to this day.” And Betty read the poem to everyone.

Carolyn Powell (activities director) added, “Everyday Emma would tell us God bless you and take care. She was so funny and a lot of fun.”

When June Frame’s name was called Pat Pratt (a good friend) put the angel on the tree and said, “I wanted to thank everyone for doing this. Miss June loved Christmas. In September she would start planning for Christmas. She wanted to have everything done a head of time. Her gifts were always very thoughtful of the person she was giving it to. Miss June loved fancy earrings. She didn’t consider herself dressed until she had on her earrings. She received many earrings as gifts over the years and one year decided to give all her loved ones a pair for christmas to hang on the tree. So she made ornaments out of them for all of them to remember her by,” remembered Pat Pratt.

Paul William’s name was called and Debbie Knott (staff member) said," Paul would sit by the door of the therapy room everyday and look out the window and ask what car is yours. He would look to see if your tires were good. He wanted you to drive on safe tires."

L.W. Creed, Jr.’s name was called and his niece came up, put the angel on the tree and said, “He was the finest uncle and the finest man I have ever known, he was so giving. He would take in homeless people and give them a place to stay. He was a precious man and I love him dearly and he loved this place and everyone here.”

Sonya Nelson and Denise Lipscomb told this Christmas memory about their mother Ruby Jackson, “One of the Christmases I remember was when our Dad died. We decided to draw names for gifts that year. Ruby decided she was going to be in on it too. Little did she know we were all going to give her presents. She was very crippled and couldn’t walk very well because it was very hard and painful for her to walk. We watched our mother walk from her car all the way into the store because she wanted to pick out the gift herself.”

There were so many memories I couldn’t list them all but “They may be gone but they definitely are not forgotten”.

The resident’s whose lives were being celebrated were:

Paul Wiggins
John Warner
L.W. Creed, Jr.
Cordell Clanton
R. Lloyd Davidson
Emma Davis
Billie Derryberry
Don Devore
June Frame
Lenna Glasscock
Sue Garrick
Ruby Jackson
Nettie Jenkins
W. O. Kelly
Brucene Lowry
Elick Mathis, Jr.
Iris Odonnell
Harlan Presley
Frances Yarbrough
Billye Rutledge
Searcy Sanders
Miles Skipper
Lillie Speer
Katherine Vibbert
Linda Vibbert
Edna Yarbrough
Warren Fergerson