Born in Binghamton, NY
Occupation: Insurance Sales for Prudential
Ref: TJNixon
Father: Thomas Nixon
Mother: Annie Mc Hale
Wife: Janice Bowman
Born: 18 June 1925
Married: 8 Feb, 1947 at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, Greene, NY
Ceremony: Y
Died: 7 March 2006
80 years, 8 Months, 17 days
Ref: TJNixon
Father: Olin Bowman
Mother: Calista Parsons
Eulogy given by The Very Reverend Ralph Osborne at Zion Episcopal Church, Greene, NY, March 11, 2006
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Janice M. Blondie, Nixon, born on June 18, 1925 and died on March 7, 2006. Blondie was eighty years old and was looking forward to 81. She was born and raised in Greene, NY. She went to Greene H.S. And hung out with the likes of Fran and DeDe and Barb and Ellie and Jane and Ellen and Irene and others. Blondie and a group of her high school friends have been meeting once or twice a year for about forever now. After high school, she was known to be at the bar at the Sherwood occasionally. She worked hard at ANSCO and then at Raymond, so she and her friends had to kick up their heels a bit. If you have seen some of the pictures of those young ladies floating around, you understand. Word is also out that she and her friends were not good tippers of the poor bartender at the hotel. So, the bartender would get a bottle and he would spin it. The girl it pointed to at the end of its spin would have to give the bartender a kiss for his tip. Somehow Tom always made the bottle point at Blondie. Maybe you have seen the photo that DeDe was passing around last night. It shows four young ladies, posing. They are in bathing suits and they know it. They are standing in the snow. There is no mistake as to why the bottle pointed at Blondie. She and Tom married February 8, 1947. If I count right, that's 59 years ago. 59 years together is a good journey. It says a lot about the two who have been together for so long. It says a lot to us who are living our lives and making our decisions. Blondie and Tom didn't stop dating after they married. Saturday night was their night, even after the children came along. Kathy, Tim and Nancy would agree that parents who date give a gift to their children. Blondie has always been an active person. She enjoyed her times with her friends. She would golf on Mondays and Wednesdays and she was in a bowling league. She mixed her love of sports with her love of food and snacks. You could find Pepermint Patties in her golf bag. Can you immagine what a mess that made on a hot summer day? She was always in the mood for a chocolate milk shake. It's a good thing that I didn't know that about her. We would have been trouble together with that one. She loved her peanut butter sandwich. Blondie had a great sense of humor. Maybe the best part of it was that she was able to not only laugh at her own jokes, but she could laugh at herself. One shopping trip found her locking the straps of her pocketbook in the car door. Then, when saved by Tom, they went into the store, she accidently looped the straps of the same pocketbook over the poll for the shopping carts and she walked the length of that poll before she knew she was in for an abrupt stop. She was an observer of life and could make funny and insightful comments about what she saw. She left most of the jokes to Tom, but kept a steel file of the punch lines. She loved to sing and did that in church and even around town, with Effie and Joan. Giving was a regular part of Blondies life. At the store, young people especially could count on a generous person to help them buy a Christmas gift even if they didn't have enough to cover the cost of the gift. She was a great salesperson and was appreciated as such, but she knew who her customers were and what they needed. Christmas especially was a time to give to others. Money was definitely not her God. She had her priorities. God and her hair. Her husband and her hair. Her children and her hair. Her children really were her priority. She not only gave to others, she gave to her children. She displayed an easy spirit with them that provided comfort and the knowledge that they are loved. She modeled hard work and generosity for them. She laughed and played with them. She showed them that life is abundant. She showed them the best example of marriage, one that lasts. Blondie and Tom made a good couple. I know that Tom has told some of you that he is 59 years old, but when you have been married that long, you start to lose track of things. Some of us don't have to wait that long. Today, we gather to pay our respects, to say goodbye and to remember certain important things. We dress the church in white to help remember. White is how we dress the church and the priest for Easter. Even though we are in the midst of the Lenten season, here and now we celebrate Easter. The paschal candle is prominent and we remember not only that we are from dust and will return to dust, but that we have been promised resurrection. Christ has led the way for us. That is what our gospel lesson is about. Jesus is saying goodbye to his friends, warning them of his death. He comforts them. He comforts them. "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Believe, believe in God and believe in me." In my Father's house are many rooms, many mansions. I'm going there to prepare a place for you. Blondie was aware of the importance of preparing a place. Here at Zion she prepared for our services by singing in choir and preparing the altar as part of our altar guild. She worked at making Zion home for those of us who need home. Jesus is promising to prepare our home. Home is what heaven is, true home. Not temporary and fleeting. Not dependent upon how well our heart ticks or our lungs function, or even how strong our back muscles are. Home where all the important things are in place. Jesus said that he is going there to prepare a place uniquely for Blondie. It really says that. Unique. Blondie knows that's part of the playfulness of Jesus. A place unique for Blondie. I bet that she doesn't have to cook. House special fried rice that doesn't even take ten minutes. More so, she is learning even more about the love of God. She loved to bring home the cracked and imperfect pieces from the gift shop. She said she was around the perfect pieces all day long. Jesus can look at her and show her all His imperfect pieces, us. And He tells her, to look at what He had done with them. He has made all of them perfect. That is the hope of resurrection for us. When we leave this life for the next, resurrection makes all right. We and Blondie can be at peace about our broken-ness our cracks and blemishes. We can receive the comfort of Jesus who tells us to not let our hearts be troubled. We can rest in the assurance that Blondie is with the One who loves and knows her so much and we have hope for the same. Amen. |
A Tribute to Janice
written and recited by Nancy Amell at Janice's funeral
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Our mom was the prettiest, kindest and most loving mom. She loved all of us equally yet individually in special ways. We were all shy and sometimes hesitant to try; however with her gentleness and loving nature, she would encourage us and be by our side. I can't remember a time when she ever spoke loudly to us. We knew we could ask her anything and she would give us her gentle touch and love. She loved her parents, she loved our dad, who took wonderful care of her, she loved us and her grand children. She had many dear friends and enjoyed life. She had a strong and private belief in our Lord. Her wish was to go before our dad. She was't sure she could manage without him. She always said the day she died she hoped her hair was done, Thanks Dawn, her hair was done. Kathy and I felt fortunate to live so close to mom. We loved spending Sunday afternoons watching movies and talking about everything that was going on in our lives. Although Tim did not live close by, she thought of him often and tried to keep him up on just what was going on in Greene. She anxiously awaited Labor Day when all of her children would be together, even if only for a long weekend. Her grand children were so important to her. A day did not go by that she didn't ask if we had heard from them and how they were doing. Carrie is doing a wonderful job in college. Ty and Caitlin have a special place in her heart. Jason and Shannon have successful careers and are expecting mom and dad's first grand child. Jeff and Jess had mom's special prayers and love to keep Jeff safe in Iraq and then in Afganistan. Her prayers were answered when he returned from Afganistan two weeks ago. Mom had a strong belief in the Lord and we know she is with Him mow and in no pain. You touched so many lives; Kathy and I always wanted to be like you. We can't say goodby mom, but we can say goodnight until we meet again. |
F Child 1 Kathleen Lura Nixon
M Child 2 Timothy J. Nixon
F Child 3 Nancy Nixon
Tom and Janice
Tim - Nancy - Kathy
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