Richard Rush Brown, 90 of Sioux Falls, SD, passed away on Tuesday, February 23, 2010, at Dow Rummel Village.  Born August 13, 1919, in Sioux Falls. Dick attended school in the Sioux Falls Public Schools; Governor Dummer Academy, Byfield, Massachusetts; and Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois. He entered military service in 1942 as a Flight Instructor in the Eastern Training Command at Lakeland, Florida, instructing Royal Air Force and U.S. Air Corp Cadets. In 1944 he transferred to the Air Transport Command delivering combat aircraft and personnel to the Mediterranean and European war theaters. He married Betty Buchanan on September 5, 1942, in Lakeland, Florida. They returned to Sioux Falls in 1945 when he joined his father in business.

Richard’s shirt

Wanda’s brother Chubby’s shirt, now two memory bears.

“This was the last shirt he wore, I will cherish this always, he wore this home from the hospital.”

In 2001 I made a bear for Miranda from her favorite pink thermal blanket.  She named it Pinky.  A few years later I ‘remade’ a very well loved Pinky by taking the bear apart and turning the pieces inside out.  Pinky went everywhere with Miranda, everywhere~!!

To celebrate Miranda’s  21st in December 2016 her mother asked me to make Pinky #2.  She ordered a new thermal blanket and had it mailed to me.  I made the new bear and even it’s own blanket.

Looking at the picture it’s hard to believe that the first Pinky was ever a true pink in color but it’s evidence of a treasure of time and precious memories for Miranda.  She was moved to tears when she opened the gift bag on her 21st birthday to find a brand new Pinky.

Jerremie was born on October 26, 1978. He died on October 8, 1980.  He accomplished in two years what takes most of us a life time to achieve, to be in the Presence of God.  He was born with a compromised immune system and succumbed to the ravages of disease.  The bear was his favorite toy, I did not make it.  The outfit and shoes were Jerremie’s. I altered the clothing to fit the bear.

Leslie David Scarborough, 74, Beverly Hills, Florida, died Jan. 18, 2015, under the loving care of his family and Hospice of Citrus County.

 

Bill MacCallum, December 10, 1964 – April 30, 2016.

Bill was an ordained minster.  He traveled throughout the states and abroad to start churches for the deaf, even though he was not deaf.

The bears are made from one of his tee-shirts and a pair of his blue jeans.

The soldier had me make two camouflage bears from his military jackets.  He had specific requests where he wanted the patches placed on the bears, that’s why the name and the branch of service are on the legs.

Riley and Deuce are too little to understand the loss of their Grandaddy.  They each picked out two of their favorite shirts to be made into a bear.  Hopefully holding their bear comforts them when they remember and miss him.

Lynda asked me to make four bears from a quilt made by her great-grandmother.  Two were to be given to the newest generation in her family, cousins Finley and Thomas. The other two are to be tucked away for future babies.

Lynda wrote a letter to Finley.

Dear Finley, I had this teddy bear made for you from a very special quilt. The quilt was made by your great-great grandmother, Della Hart Smith, for your great-grandmother, Mary Lynn Perkins, who had it on her bed when she was a girl. She then gave it to me for my bed when I was a little girl. Over time, it became too fragile to be used, so it was lovingly packed away, and there it sat for many years. A few months ago, I found it while unpacking some boxes after moving. I took it out thinking that surely it could be used again in some way. A few weeks later, you were born, and I thought of the most perfect way the quilt could have a new life – as a teddy bear for you. There’s so much love built into this bear – from the hands that made the quilt, from those who slept under it throughout the years, and from my friend who made the teddy bear – which is now yours to love and enjoy!

The fabric of the quilt was so fragile I asked Lynda’s permission to intervene with some embroidery over the areas that ‘popped’ open when the bears were stuffed.  I love what I do~!