Our Mimi

Do you remember when we attended this wonderful lady's 90th birthday party last June?

Sadly, over the holidays, Mimi passed away. She lived the most amazing life, had 3 children and 7 grandchildren who all adored her. David and I always enjoyed visiting Mimi at her house when she still lived alone, stopping by Kingsford, and popping in at SummerHill to give her a hug and get a tender kiss.

Her service was held in Greenwood, South Carolina last Thursday. It was a beautiful, brisk day to celebrate the lady we all loved. I wanted to share the lovely words that David's cousin Wesley wrote in honor of their Mimi....it truly defines the smart, fun woman that loved her family so very much.

I am honored to speak to all of you today as we celebrate 90 wonderful years of our Mimi who we all loved as a friend, sister, mother, and as a grandmother which was how I knew Mimi. Mimi’s life was dedicated to, and defined by, her love of family. As one of Mimi’s 7 grandchildren, I want to honor Mimi today with 7 thank yous.
#1 - Thank you, Mimi, for your tremendous, unmatched, and unwavering commitment to your family, and especially for raising our parents, Noel, Pammy, and Chris the way you did. As the matriarch of our family, you successfully instilled the values of unselfishness, giving, and hard work in all of us, not to mention the importance of always maintaining a good sense of humor along the way.
#2 - Thank you, Mimi, for the many “competitive”, games of Monopoly, Trivial Pursuit, and Scrabble – and I’ll deliberately repeat the use of the word “competitive” because we all knew how much Mimi wanted to win, how much Mimi loved to win, and how much Mimi did win against all of us. Your 7 grandchildren promise to carry on your competitive spirit each and every day, and to never give an inch in a competitive family game!
#3 – Coffee cake and sweetness in the morning, but DISCIPLINARIAN by day and night. Thank you, Mimi, for always managing to catch me in acts of mischief. For most of the year, I could easily get away with taunting my brother, teasing my sister, egging on my cousins, and misbehaving towards my parents...but this came to a screeching halt when you were around. From preschool to grade school and even well into high school which is hard to believe, you had an uncanny ability to rightly call me out for misbehaving. I’m glad you and I could laugh about these times together later in life, although I’m confident I never worked my way out of the last place ranking in terms of your favorite grandchildren.
#4 - Thank you, Mimi, for the beautiful melodies you sang and whistled to your family and friends around you for so many years…YOUR sounds of joy were reflective of not only YOUR INNER JOY, but of the joy you gave to all of those around you. We are comforted in knowing that you whistled and sang your way straight to heaven, and we can all envision you now singing and whistling among angels who are undoubtedly mesmerized and delighted by those same melodies you shared with us all over the years.
#5 - Thank you, Mimi, for staying with us for so long – your strong will to stay alive and live life was, is, and will always be an inspiration to us all.
#6 - Thank you, Mimi, for celebrating life’s great moments with vigor, including that martini you drank and that cigar you smoked on your 75th birthday at Benji and Pammy’s lake house while you were surrounded by your family. I’m pretty sure that martinis and cigars ran contrary to doctor’s orders, but the sight of you drinking and smoking at 75 years young was and is a reminder to us all that it’s important to celebrate life’s accomplishments.
#7 - Thank you, Mimi, most of all for all of the laughs you gave us, of which there were so many, and all of the love you gave us, which can only be described as boundless.
I’ll close by saying that today is truly a celebration of Mimi’s life -- a life that was characterized by love for, and dedication to, family.

The grandchildren led the service. It was so precious. Kimberly gave the welcome address, and Amanda beautifully sang The Spirit Song.
In the bulb there is a flower; in the seed, an apple tree;
In cocoons, a hidden promise: butterflies will soon be free!
In the cold and snow of winter there’s a spring that waits to be,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.


There’s a song in every silence, seeking word and melody;
There’s a dawn in every darkness, bringing hope to you and me.
From the past will come the future; what it holds, a mystery,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.


In our end is our beginning; in our time, infinity;
In our doubt there is believing; in our life, eternity,
In our death, a resurrection; at the last, a victory,
Unrevealed until its season, something God alone can see.

David read a lovely story about Mothers, Wesley and Lange both gave eulogies, and Pamela led us in prayer. I know Mimi's heart would have been so full of pride.


After we all drove back to Atlanta from Greenwood, David's uncle Chris had us all over before dinner in Dunwoody. Since everyone was all together, we took the opportunity to snap a few pics of the Curth family after our day of celebrating Mimi.

We're lucky to have such a great legacy of life and laughter from Mimi!