A Life Taken Too Soon

Reginia-(Regana)-McKinney-McGee

Remembering Pauline Bunch

 Pauline Elizabeth Bunch was a woman who was special and dear to me. I spent many days and nights listening to all the things that she had to say. As you can see, by the poem, Pauline was a woman of many words.

If you had a chance to receive a picture from Pauline, you would see Pauline would write on the picture or even do her own graphic design to make the hair longer, or maybe a person who didn’t have sleeves had sleeves. It was easy getting items for Pauline because she liked stamps, because she liked to send people things whether it was a thank-you card or to celebrate a life or a home-going of someone. Whatever it was she could get her hands on, Pauline loved to share it.

Pauline came into my life in 1990. I lost my mother in 1989. It’s amazing how God brings people into your life at a time where you’re in need of someone, but at the time you do not know it. I lost my mother in 1989 and in 1990, I was given a mother-in-law. For 22 years, I had the opportunity to eat, sleep, talk, laugh, and cry with Pauline. You never realize how much you miss a person until that person is gone. I celebrated one home-going of a mother and now I’m celebrating another home-going of another mother.

Pauline had so much love in her. So many didn’t get to share that love up close. She wanted to be loved unconditionally and one of the ways that she shared her love was giving, whether it was sharing cards, postcards, thank-you cards, or even money. That was the only way she knew. She did what she knew. She wanted love. She wanted to be loved. She wanted to give love and in return, she wanted to be loved. She hurt, she laughed, she cried, but knowing her personally and spending hours with her, days with her, nights with her, there was a side to Pauline that was so much fun. That’s why her death has hurt me so. I lost two mothers. As we lay her to rest, I know there’s many that are going to miss the phone calls, miss her laughter, miss her talking about her favorite basketball teams, miss her fussing, or miss her drawings or what she called her art on her letters. That will be missed. She was loved and it shows by everybody that has come out here. There are those that couldn’t make it, but wanted to be here. She is blessed to have two home-goings and this is significant. The days are significant and no one else understands the days. I understand the days. Her husband, John H. Bunch, Sr.’s birthday was September 29th; this day that we’re celebrating her home-going in Fresno, California. Then, to celebrate her final home-going at her resting place is October 3rd and that date is significant because that was the date of my mother’s birthday. Two special events; a birth of John and my mother, Virginia; two people who I love dearly. To celebrate a home-going on the birth of her husband and the birth of my mother, God has connected the three of them and I know they will see each other again in Heaven.

Those of you who have mothers who are alive, treasure them, honor them, remember them, and tell them. I got a chance to tell Pauline I loved her many times, had hugs many times and I know others did too. It’s with my deepest hurt and sorrow that I display these poems that she wrote called Discovery and Feelings. This is how she felt, and I feel everyone needs to read these. She loved her children, she loved her grandchildren and her great-grandchildren. She loved her nieces and nephews and friends. She talked about them a lot. She talked about her mother and brothers a lot. Pauline had so much love in her. She was feisty too; no one can dispute that, but the woman was full of love and she could never say no to anyone. This woman had a place in my heart and that’s why I have to say I understand your discovery and I understand your feelings and I’m so glad that God brought you into my life, Pauline. You’re home now. You’re at peace now. You’re with your husband now. Rest in peace Pauline Bunch. I will always love you, always. I will always love you. You always said I was your daughter and you treated me like I was your daughter and I treated you like you were my mother and I thank God that he gave me this opportunity to say my goodbyes. I love you Pauline. I really do.

 

By Regana McKinney-Bunch-McGee

 

 

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *