First Volunteer for White Tanks Angels

I would like to take a moment to highlight and thank one of our White Tanks Angels.
Volunteer, Tawsha Mincheski-Craft of Litchfield Park, AZ.

Sun, Feb 20, 2011

I received an e-mail at my AOL account. Subject: Joyce Darlene Patterson - White Tanks Cemetery. The message read as follows:

"Hi, my name is Tawsha. I was doing some searching on the internet about the White Tanks Cemetery,  which I visit often. I used to live near by and always felt a pull to go there and remember some of the "forgotten". I know the history of the cemetery, how they are buried there and why. 

First, I want to tell you that I think the cemetery is peaceful and beautiful. AZ isn't a lush green hillside, but this cemetery is not as bad as you were lead to believe. There is heartache there, unknown tragedy. But please know these people laid to rest here are not forgotten castaways. There are those of us that know the story and go there with love, compassion and honor to all who rest there. 

If it is okay with you, I would like to visit your mothers plot and care for it in your, and her, honor. If you wold like to tell me about her, I can place some things, flowers, candles, etc where she rests that are meaningful to you and her. While there are not private markers there are many places that have been adorned by those that love and miss their friends and family. I can make something for her with her name on it if you would like.

I have always felt the people at White Tanks Cemetery need some love and attention and if it's okay with you, I would like to express some of this to your mother."
 
I hope my email finds you and finds you well,
-- Tawsha --

I was so blown away by her kindness when I read this e-mail. Her words were comforting to hear and to know that someone would be able to visit my mother's grave and tend to it, in my place, made me feel so much better! My reply was as follows:

"Tawsha,

Your email has touched me very deeply. I would absolutely be indebted to you forever if you would see to my mother's grave for me. I could not want anything more! I am running out the door right now, but I will definitely write more to you about her... she was a very crafty person and would love to have homemade stuff placed there. It would make her smile. Thank you so very much and I am relieved to hear your story."

The next e-mail that I received was from her on THANKSGIVING DAY! And I can tell you that Holidays have always been the hardest for me. I used to spend my Holidays with my mother for visitation. The fact that she sent these on Thanksgiving, made the pain of the Holiday away from my mom, more bearable!

"Hello there, Just wanted to send you some pictures of your mother's resting place. I wish I could take credit for the lovely marker, but it was done by a friend of mine. I wanted to let you know, and assure you, that you have at least two people caring for and tending to your mother and her place. 

The other pictures are of the rose field right outside the cemetery. They are all just about to bloom, miles of roses surrounded by fields of crops and wild Arizona flowers and plants. The zoo is nearby and ducks and other critters fly by and rest in the trees. Very near the White Tank mountains. 

The cemetery is very misunderstood, it's quite beautiful, peaceful, unassuming. There is a church group that gathers there every Thanksgiving to read the names and say a blessing for the people who passed each year and were buried there. Today the cemetery was covered in red and pink carnations, sending some love to the people who have passed. This is not a place that is forgotten. Quiet and private, but not forgotten.

Much love to you and your family.Happy Thanksgiving!"

-- Tawsha --

I was already so touched by her kindness... but when she sent me the pictures, it was a whole new level of touched!  One of the things that I had spoke about in my blog was the fact that it bothered me that there are no private markers allowed at the cemetery. I really hated the fact that nowhere on her grave site did it state that she WAS LOVED and CLAIMED by someone... that really irked me. And I felt that because she was a good mother to me, despite her alcoholism and mental illness, that she deserved to be recognized as such. And when Tawsha sent me the photos of my mother's grave site, this is what I saw...

Tawsha, I can NOT thank you enough for what you have done. And while you have stated that it was not you, but a friend of yours who did the stone... please tell them that my deepest gratitude is offered. And to you as well... if it was not for you and your compassion and interest in the cemetery and my mother's story, she would still just be a brass marker with a name there. Everything that you have done, means so much to me.

And now, she had formally accepted the invite to become a permanent, official, volunteer for the White Tanks Angels Foundation. This week, she has accepted an e-mail request by another family with a mother buried at White Tanks. This woman, like me, also lives outside of the state of Arizona and can not be there to tend to her mother's grave site or even lay flowers as a matter of respect.

Tawsha, it is truly amazing that you will take time out of your own life to serve those of us around you who are in need. God has declared that there are angels among us that he sends to watch over us and YOU are one of God's Angels and White Tanks Angels! You deserve some kind of reward for your empathy and compassion! Thank you Lord for blessing us and our foundation with Tawsha Craft! I hope that we can find many many more.

Please take a moment to thank her and provide her with some words of encouragement also by emailing her at tawshacraft@hotmail.com