Hanna Howard
There is so much to say.
Hanna was Hanna Haeter when she came here from Berlin in 1950.
She lived through World War II, losing her mother to the Nazi’s and her home to bombing.
She came to America, to Yale School of Music on a scholarship and met Lee Howard there.
One thing always amazed me about Hanna and Lee, because they were divorced when I met them, but divorce usually means someone loses the church. But not only were they both here—Hanna was in Lee’s choir.
Ponder that.
What can I say about Hanna?
She was one of the most gentle, thoughtful, and wonderful people I ever met.
I kept in touch with her after I left what was then St. John’s, which I didn’t with lots of folks. When a priest leaves a parish, he or she is supposed to break the ties and let everyone move on.
But I couldn’t break the ties with Hanna.
She came to our house for Thanksgiving for several years. She taught our daughter, Mimi, piano. I visited her in her apartment in Hamden.
We would talk and share memories and eat cookies on those visits.
I saw her a couple of times in the care home.
She was always so gracious and loving. Those are the words I would use to describe her: ‘gracious’ and ‘loving’.
I will miss her more than you know—more than even I can know.
Goodbye, Hanna. I love you and honor you.
You make me hope there is life after death and that you are in the ‘good place’ and full of joy.
That’s my hope and prayer for you.
You are in the ‘good place’ and full of joy.
That is my deep and abiding hope for such a sweet and gentle and wondrous person as you, Hanna.
Good bye and I pray I’ll see you again on the other side.
Shalom and Amen.
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