So many have posted on this thread, and perhaps to give it an appropriate end, I just wanted to follow up with our visit to Ponte Vedra for Joanna's Memorial Service on Tuesday. I am not on Facebook, but understand the others there have posted some pictures there. So I will post my thoughts to share with everyone our visit of two days and nights.

My daughter Joanna, Marcie and Tom, and Arlene and I all flew into JAX on Monday, and shared a car for the drive to PV, arriving at about 6pm. The Kimmies were already there. Tony met us, and we all shared lots and lots of hugs. Tony was a trooper keeping his composure, hard as it was for him.

For that first night, we were all invited to a cookout at a beach house nearby that Tony had rented for some of the family, how very nice of them to include us. We stayed next door to Tony in a condo offered by his neighbor John, for which we were grateful. Tony and Joanna's family could not have been more welcoming to us. We met his daughters, Amber and Lara, who seemed to adore Joanna. Amber is the mom of Aiden, a grandson, who was unable to be there. Both sisters had seen Ray's video, and their hearts were touched at all the condolences and tributes in it. Then we met daughter Sara, her husband Chris (who was the grill chef), and daughter Keane. Sara and I talked both nights, she knew Joanna had her travel friends, most definitely. And she told me her mom popped to attention just 2 days before passing, and wanted Ithaca read at the service. Ray sent that video link with Sean Connery moderating. Such a beautiful poem.

And her other grandaughters Carly and Hannah, and their Mom Maria, who is the widow of J's deceased son Bay, we also met J's son Carter, who is now living in Bali, and her brother Danny who came in from CT. Present as well were Stoney Dvornick, Sara's sorority sister who was such a huge help, and her husband. Joanna and I had realized some years ago that Stoney's in-laws were old close friends to my own sister, who had met J&T.

I met Joanna's dear friend Kathy McWilliams, so happy to, after hearing about her for many years from Joanna. We also had a nice chat.
It was a wonderful night, with lots of story telling and sharing of memories with all of them. After that, we LCT'ers gathered again at Tony's for a nightcap.

The next day, we all arrived together at the church. BettyK jointed us for the service, having driven over 2 hours to be there. What a beautiful church it was, with exposed wood beams, lots of light, and stained glass, and beautiful flowers. As each of her PV friends that we had traveled with before arrived, they came up to our group and welcomed us warmly. Made us all feel so good. They all know how important Joanna and Tony are to us.

The service itself was so well done, I'm sure prepared with lots of thought with a lot of input from both her and her family. There was lots of music (listed below, you can see it all on You Tube, I just don't know how to put in the links, sorry), readings from the Book of Common Prayer, and Remembrances from granddaughter Keane with Hanna and Carly at her back, and a recitation of the poem, Ithaca, requested by Joanna herself just a few days before her passing, and to mark her love of travel to distant destinations, as Sara explained to me. Remembrances from her friend Kathy McWilliams, as well. The homily was delivered by her friend Joan Bryan, who was a retired rector from the church.We then had a beautiful solo, On Eagles Wings, and Holy Communion.

It was then on to a reception in the Parish Center, and a visit to the Memorial Garden with Tony, where her ashes were committed that morning.

That evening, another reception at the beach house for their family and social friends, and we were about the last to leave. Especially wonderful to my daughter and me were seeing their good friends Suzanne and Bob Taylor, and Liz Minor, who had so many good words to us.

We all left on Wednesday morning,so glad to have met the whole family and J's friends to share our goodbyes. First time either of us has had to say goodbye to an lct friend, and a very special one at that to me.

The music: oh how I hope you all will google the songs and listen

The Lord's Prayer
Morning Has Broken
Here I Am Lord

Last, the beautiful solo, my favorite, On Eagles Wings
Lift High the Cross

Olivia