This is going to be an obscenely long post, so deal with it.

Just when you think the post office couldn’t possibly mutilate a package worse than last time, they prove you wrong.

Best birthday card yet! And congratulations remembering who the actor was and actually finding a picture of him with clothes on. Great find on that book too, I need to start a video rental account.

Grandma’s wake was tonight. It’s kind of amazing the number of people I met tonight. Not really surprising that I didn’t know everyone, but what was surprising was the number of people that I didn’t know that are family. The wake was supposed to start at four for family and then at five for the general public. Almost none of the family showed up until well after five. I got to meet my aunt Paulette, ug. Aunt Mary dressed grandma in the dress that she got her to wear to her wedding. Kind of bothered me because it really wasn’t grandma. It’s a satiny silver dress like thing that reminds me of a space suit. The grandma that I remember was always in a denim skirt to her ankles and a plaid shirt. The mortician put funny makeup on her too. I’d never seen her with any so it was odd to begin with, but they gave her a metallic pink gloss lipstick… I never realized that her wedding ring was a plain gold band, no stones/diamonds whatsoever.

My family is fucking nuts. I can’t believe how much cat fighting was going on at a stupid wake. And do you really need to be told to dress nicely? I mean a jumpsuit is not a good thing anytime, but for a wake? How about blue jeans and cowboy boots? T-shirts? I felt completely overdressed in leather shoes with nice blue jeans and a button down shirt. And would it kill people to do your hair?

So much to write and so much I don’t want to think about. Maybe I’ll expand on this tomorrow…





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Ione Elizabeth Burgess, 76, of Fall Creek returned to the Lord on Nov. 1, 2006, at Dove Healthcare Nursing & Rehabilitation with her family by her side.

She was born in Cleghorn, Wis., on Aug. 27, 1930, one of 12 children born to Albert and Louise (Tumm) Henning. Ione married Paul Phillip Burgess, Sr., on Sept. 14, 1946, at the First Baptist Church parsonage in Eau Claire. Ione and Paul started their family in Eau Claire before moving to Cleghorn, the site of their first dairy farm. Ione and Paul later moved to “the farm” in Fall Creek, where they raised 11 children. Ione and Paul were married more than 58 years at the time of his death.

Beloved wife and mother, sister and grandmother, Ione was never too busy to cook a meal, provide care or serve the Lord. Family meals were an occasion for Ione to bake pies, to serve her homemade pickles and to share the lives of her loved ones. All who knew Ione will remember her kindness, strength, generosity and faith.

Ione will be remembered with love by her children, Steven (Brenda) Burgess of Eau Claire, Paula Burgess of Ogden, Utah, Mark (Judi) Burgess of Boerne, Texas, Elizabeth (Dan) Hayden of Rock Falls, Peter (Nancy) Burgess of Elk Mound, Andy (Diane) Burgess of Fall Creek, Nathan (Brenda) Burgess of Brackett, Benjamin Burgess of Fall Creek, Joanna Madison of Eau Claire and Mary Beth (Chris) Huson of Eau Claire; 21 grandchildren; 24 great-grandchildren; her siblings, Doris (George) Frase of Fall Creek, Marlys Zimmerman of Eau Claire, Della (Ron) Kunz of Stromberg, Neb., Donald Henning of Eau Claire, Albert Henning, Jr., of Minneapolis, Minn., James (Ruth) Henning of Ponca City, Okla., Arliss (Ray) Goff of St. Paul, Minn., and Diane (Joe) Hall of Annandale, Minn.; her daughter-in-law, Lori Bates of Fall Creek; and many nieces, nephews and cousins.

She was preceded in death by her husband, Paul; their son, Paul Burgess II; her parents; infant sister, Elizabeth Henning; brother, Alfred (Bud) Henning; brother, Lester Henning; infant great-granddaughter, Michaela Barby; and nephew, Dale Zimmerman.

Funeral services will be at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7, 2006, at Pentecostal Assembly Church in Eau Claire. Pastor Paul Bennett will officiate. Burial will be in the Rest Haven Cemetery in the town of Washington.

Family and friends may call at the Pentecostal Assembly Church in Eau Claire on Monday, Nov. 6, 2006, from 5 to 8 p.m. and again on Tuesday morning from 9:30 a.m. until the time of services. Ione supported numerous charities throughout her life. In lieu of flowers, memorials may be sent to the family or given in her name to Tupelo Children’s Mansion Ministries, P.O. Box 167, Tupelo, MS 38802.

Friends and family are invited to sign the guest book online at www.fullerspeckien.com.

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