INVERNESS, Fla. — Louise (Husk) Parkinson, 83, died Aug. 15, 2024. She was born in Ferrisburgh, Vt., the 12th child of Ray Elson Husk and Caroline E. Black.

My dear wife, we have been blessed with time for remembrance; an opportunity to share with each other the joys, concerns, happenings and feelings we have known, and to rekindle our appreciation for those things we have experienced. We have worked hard to make several houses into homes, kneeled in the dirt together to plant food for our family, supported each other through times of sickness and financial difficulty, and celebrated victories when we fought for what was needed in our children’s lives.

We’ve spent the night at the bedside of a sick child and gave God the praise when the fever broke. We’ve built fences, moved buildings, boiled syrup, harvested crops, helped neighbors, served our local church and, most importantly, shared these experiences with our four kids as they grew in knowledge and understanding, and ultimately sent them into the world, with our prayers and encouragement, to live their lives as the Lord leads them.

We’ve rejoiced as our children found mates of the Lord’s choosing and were blessed with children of their own. What a joy to see our love for each other multiplied, as a little bit of us continues on in each of them. On and on it goes as our grandchildren are now adding our great-grandchildren to the cause for good in this world, and they are such a blessing, every one.

Thankfulness is the best word I can gather as I think of our life together, and I want to end with the poem I wrote for you a couple decades ago. I offer it here as it still says, what I want to say, in the best way I know how:

The blessings that the Lord provides at times are left unseen,

 as we go about our private lives just chasing our own dreams.

Then the Lord sends us someone who cares,

He guides them from above.

For there’s a reflection of Jesus Christ there in the hearts of those we love.

Lives when lived together oft-times contain some strife,

but it’s the trials and the testing that bring a depth of love to life.

Oh, I know that our togetherness is sanctioned from above.

For I know that Jesus made you, and that He made you just for me to love.

So, as we walk in Jesus’ love,

know what our role can be.

Let us share His joy with those around that all might soon be free.

May others see His love in us,

that love we’ve come to know,

that the blessings, all the blessings

to other’s lives from Christ may flow.

And I thank the Lord for all the blessings,

all the blessings that He’s given.

I thank the Lord for all the blessings

and for the Son, the One who’s risen.

And I thank the Lord for all the blessings

and for the joy of being free.

But, most of all I thank Him for the blessing,

for the blessing that you are to me!”

All my love forever, Jim. ◊