Hello to each of you. I hope you are all well and enjoying the last few weeks of summer.

In this week’s column Valley Home resident Karen Rinna Titus shares in her words the love that she and so many others felt at the passing of a most precious, precious woman … Kerstin Bergstrom. In Karen’s words: “I don’t really know where to begin … This foundational piece of my village left us today to be with her Shorty. I have been lucky enough to have had a large village but this one … this tiny one helped make up the base of my foundation. There has never been anyone, besides she and her husband Bjorn, who has squeezed more adventure and joy into a life. They both taught me what it was like to be hospitable, welcoming, forgiving, and most of all how to be an any time friend. I could call on them at any moment in my life and know that they would drop everything to be with us. Their home was our home. I have never known life without Kris and only a short time of my life have I known without Bjorn. I was lucky enough to visit her just a couple of weeks ago and get to tell her how much I loved her and how incredibly thankful I was for everything she did for me. Because of her, I can confidently say that her Swedish culture became part of my culture. Waking up before dawn on St. Lucia, December 13th to celebrate and eat Swedish cookies … and to sample Glug long before I was of age. Someone always coming out of her bedroom with the crown of candles atop their head and wondering if their head might catch a fire.

Their pool was our neighborhood plunge. During the summer we spent every Wednesday having dinner, swimming and listening to our parents laugh, argue, sing, and there was always music … so much dancing and joy.

Spring brought the beginnings of their beautiful yard and Autumn brought Sunday afternoon football and trick-or-treating.

So many beautiful seasons of life and I am ever so thankful for all of them. To JB (Johan) Claes, and Andy (Anders) Bergstrom … Thank you for sharing them with us for all these years.

Shestin, I hope Bjorn had a beautiful flower garden ready for you and that you are enjoying Yust One together.

I will miss you forever and ever and will never forget your voice or your laughter … Helan Gar … favorite and much-loved drinking song.

Another fun little ditty was that my dad had a bush that bloomed only three days a year. He called it the Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow Bush. He would call Kris every year and make her come and look at it. Kris and Björn took a cutting of that bush and gave it to me shortly after I got married. Sadly my green thumb was not what they had hoped and it died, but the memory remains.”

We deeply appreciate Karen sharing her words, and the love and sweet memories she and so many others felt with the passing of this very special woman. May God bring comfort to the Bergstrom family and to all who love this amazing woman so very much.

Karen’s words shared a way of life …. a way of life that Kris lived and shared … we will forever cherish her memory in Valley Home.

*****

As always, you may reach me by email at winniemullins51@gmail.com. or by text or telephone at 209-985-5233.