We just got a call at 9:30 tonight telling us that one of our church members died today. Her name was Tommie Tankersley. She and her husband Jack celebrated their 60th anniversary late last year. A party had been planned at the church, but Tommie got very sick and it was discovered that she had diabetes. The party had been rescheduled several times, but was supposed to take place on August 7, just a little over a week away, and not long before their 61st anniversary. Their daughter, Jackie, had been talking with me to schedule the event and invite the whole church, but she called tonight to say she had bad news. Her mother had a heart attack.

Tommie was so much fun, and acted much younger than her age. She had been joking that she wanted a throne and tiarra when we had her party. Beth was going to get her the tiarra. Maybe we still should.

EDIT: Thought I'd share something funny about Tommie. She and Jack had a habit of coming in a few minutes late almost every Sunday morning. She kept telling me that if we didn't start holding up the service for them to get there, they would start taking their tithe and going across the street to the Methodist Church. Last Sunday, their daughter Jackie, came to church to pass out the invitations to the party. Tommie told me since Jackie was actually there before the service started, that she was not really biologically related to them. If she was, she would be late, too. Tommie was a hoot.