CONNIE HIGGINS ON AUNT ELLA & UNCLE TROY

Aunt Ella was the grandma we never had. The Kellerstrass Kids needed someone and she was it. She and Uncle Troy used to come pick us all up in his Cadillac and take us to the Dairy Queen. Aunt Ella would be licking the little kids cones trying to keep up with the drips running down the side. It was a hoot to think they would even allow us in that fancy car and not worry about the spills. Aunt Ella and Uncle Troy were so good to us. When Uncle Troy was home sick with cancer, I took my girls over there to have Aunt Ella watch them for me. I have pictures of Kori sitting in front of Uncle Troy's chair playing. After we went home he told Aunt Ella if she couldn’t watch both those kids, she could tell me “no” the next time I asked them to babysit. Aunt Ella told me he loved every minute of playing with Kori that day he was just giving her a hard time! One of the things I value in my life was the time I got to spend with Aunt Ella as she suffered with Alzheimers disease. When I came in the room her face would light up and I know she always knew who I was; that made me feel so loved. One afternoon Uncle Boss was visiting her and she asked him what his name was. He said “I’m Guido your brother.". She then asked him where he lived and he said, “On Tiezzi Lane in Washington."  She looked right at him and said, “ Oh, I have a brother who lives in Washington!” I love that story.