My niece, Alison Neustrom, passed away last week after battling pancreatic cancer for eleven months.  In an interview made a few months before she died, she revealed that she loves sunshine, sunflowers and all things orange.  This beautiful photo, displayed during her send-off, captures her perfectly.

Alison decorating her wedding chapel

Her obituary, the eulogy delivered at her funeral, and a memory about her graveside service give you a good sense of this extraordinary young woman.

There is no way to compete with the wordsmithing of my brother Joe, who wrote the obituary, or our new friend Jeff, who wrote and delivered the eulogy, or the insightful family friend who penned her reflections on Alison’s interment.

So I’ll simply say, Alison, thank you for being you.  We’ll take good care of your husband Dave and your little Ceci.  Love love love.