Eulogy
The challenge was to write an obituary or eulogy to a character. I chose Martha Rodgers of Castle, but hopefully it's a bit easier to take if you consider that she was 99 years old...
Fandom: Castle
Character: Martha Rodgers
Word Count: Two eulogies to Martha; 253 words and 337 words
“And to say a few words-Martha’s son, Richard Castle.” Castle rose from his seat on the stage and moved to the podium. There was a slight rustle from the attendees, almost as if to applaud, but his gently somber expression seemed to remind everyone that despite the theater setting, this was not that type of event, and the crowd stilled as he stepped to the microphone.
“First of all, we’d like to thank everyone for coming to honor my mother, Martha Rodgers. This is a fantastic showing-“ he made a sweeping gesture around the audience and the stage, “-and she would have been absolutely thrilled, as she always was in the theater, and to see a packed house!
“While we are saddened and bereft by her passing, we are also so grateful that she lived a long, happy, and very fulfilled life. Some have mentioned that it is sad that she so narrowly missed hitting the 100 mark. I for one believe this was a blessing-I’m not sure Mother, in her pride, would have wanted the public recognition that would have come with being a century old. Just slipping out at 99 no doubt suited her excellently.
“And what better way to go, for her, than actually as she once predicted in an interview-after a curtain call in this very theater?” Castle looked to his left at a particular place on the stage. “Standing on her own two feet, buoyed up by the applause, flush with success, and holding hands with her beloved company.” He looked down for a moment, then back at the assembly.
“She died as she lived each moment of her life: with zest, verve, independence, and drama-in the very best sense of that word. We will miss her every day, all of us: her friends, her fans-“ again he gestured around the theater, “and her family: myself, my wife Kate, our triplets Jo, Nick, and Jimi; Martha’s granddaughter Alexis, her husband Milt, and their daughter Max. We thank you for all you added to Mother’s life, and ask you to keep honoring all she added to yours. And now-“ nodding toward the seats on the stage, “Here’s Alexis.” (Words: 253, Castle’s words only).
*************
Alexis rose from her seat and, joining her father at the podium, shared a hug, a few words, and a smile before watching him back to his seat. At 50, she still had the regal bearing of her pre-teen years, but also more mischief and panache about her person-strong echoes of both her father and grandmother.
“Thanks, Dad, and thanks again to all of you for sharing this moment with all of us in our love and memories of Gram. This goes a long way to help fill the gap that is left behind in losing Gram-in all her vibrant glory. She was the center of our universe, and in her way always will be.
“I agree with Dad that Gram is probably happier having moved on before hitting the 100 mark. But even with that, I always think of her as truly a woman of her Century. She was born during World War II, and was very much a part of that Greatest Generation, whose strength, independence, and forward thinking forged the modern era of this country. Gram made her own way from the very start, leaving home to go on the stage, traveling around the world, and raising a son as a single mom in a time when that was a lot more taboo. She balanced a fierce independence and iconoclasm with the strong traditional values of family and her own kind of morality. She participated in anti-racism marches in the 60s. When feminism and gay liberation rolled around, she was already living those values of open mindedness, freedom, and equal rights for all.
“She never stopped learning, growing, and going with-even leading - the flow of history. She was a social justice pioneer, independent businesswoman, successful creative artist, and even a life coach when that was a thing to do. And into her 90s, on the verge of a century old, here she was, still working in the live theater, sharing her gifts and her wisdom and her joy for life with the world.
“I will leave you with two bits of that wisdom. First, Gram’s words to live by; if she were here, she would tell us: ‘Darlings, if you’re going to do something, do it big, or don’t do it at all.’ But secondly, the words that I will personally live by: “Don’t forget. Redhead forever!” Shaking her curls and grinning at the audience, Alexis gave a wave to the photo of Martha, and took her seat as those assembled broke tradition and burst into applause. (Words: 337; Alexis’s words only)
Fandom: Castle
Character: Martha Rodgers
Word Count: Two eulogies to Martha; 253 words and 337 words
“And to say a few words-Martha’s son, Richard Castle.” Castle rose from his seat on the stage and moved to the podium. There was a slight rustle from the attendees, almost as if to applaud, but his gently somber expression seemed to remind everyone that despite the theater setting, this was not that type of event, and the crowd stilled as he stepped to the microphone.
“First of all, we’d like to thank everyone for coming to honor my mother, Martha Rodgers. This is a fantastic showing-“ he made a sweeping gesture around the audience and the stage, “-and she would have been absolutely thrilled, as she always was in the theater, and to see a packed house!
“While we are saddened and bereft by her passing, we are also so grateful that she lived a long, happy, and very fulfilled life. Some have mentioned that it is sad that she so narrowly missed hitting the 100 mark. I for one believe this was a blessing-I’m not sure Mother, in her pride, would have wanted the public recognition that would have come with being a century old. Just slipping out at 99 no doubt suited her excellently.
“And what better way to go, for her, than actually as she once predicted in an interview-after a curtain call in this very theater?” Castle looked to his left at a particular place on the stage. “Standing on her own two feet, buoyed up by the applause, flush with success, and holding hands with her beloved company.” He looked down for a moment, then back at the assembly.
“She died as she lived each moment of her life: with zest, verve, independence, and drama-in the very best sense of that word. We will miss her every day, all of us: her friends, her fans-“ again he gestured around the theater, “and her family: myself, my wife Kate, our triplets Jo, Nick, and Jimi; Martha’s granddaughter Alexis, her husband Milt, and their daughter Max. We thank you for all you added to Mother’s life, and ask you to keep honoring all she added to yours. And now-“ nodding toward the seats on the stage, “Here’s Alexis.” (Words: 253, Castle’s words only).
*************
Alexis rose from her seat and, joining her father at the podium, shared a hug, a few words, and a smile before watching him back to his seat. At 50, she still had the regal bearing of her pre-teen years, but also more mischief and panache about her person-strong echoes of both her father and grandmother.
“Thanks, Dad, and thanks again to all of you for sharing this moment with all of us in our love and memories of Gram. This goes a long way to help fill the gap that is left behind in losing Gram-in all her vibrant glory. She was the center of our universe, and in her way always will be.
“I agree with Dad that Gram is probably happier having moved on before hitting the 100 mark. But even with that, I always think of her as truly a woman of her Century. She was born during World War II, and was very much a part of that Greatest Generation, whose strength, independence, and forward thinking forged the modern era of this country. Gram made her own way from the very start, leaving home to go on the stage, traveling around the world, and raising a son as a single mom in a time when that was a lot more taboo. She balanced a fierce independence and iconoclasm with the strong traditional values of family and her own kind of morality. She participated in anti-racism marches in the 60s. When feminism and gay liberation rolled around, she was already living those values of open mindedness, freedom, and equal rights for all.
“She never stopped learning, growing, and going with-even leading - the flow of history. She was a social justice pioneer, independent businesswoman, successful creative artist, and even a life coach when that was a thing to do. And into her 90s, on the verge of a century old, here she was, still working in the live theater, sharing her gifts and her wisdom and her joy for life with the world.
“I will leave you with two bits of that wisdom. First, Gram’s words to live by; if she were here, she would tell us: ‘Darlings, if you’re going to do something, do it big, or don’t do it at all.’ But secondly, the words that I will personally live by: “Don’t forget. Redhead forever!” Shaking her curls and grinning at the audience, Alexis gave a wave to the photo of Martha, and took her seat as those assembled broke tradition and burst into applause. (Words: 337; Alexis’s words only)