ODESSA VIRGINIA RAAEN
BUT A MOTHER SHE WAS- BORN ODESSA VIRGINIA RAAEN.
DURING WORLD WAR TWO- SHE BUILT B TWENTY NINES,
HELPING US WIN THE FIGHT-
A GRAY LADY SHE WAS, FOR HER GENERATIONS PLIGHT.
SHE FELL IN LOVE AND MARRIED A MILITARY MAN-
TOGETHER THEY HAD 4 CHILDREN- AFTER THEY FIRST BEGAN.
JAMES, CRYSTAL, TANYA AND ERIK-
AFTER 32 YEARS IT WAS OVER,
SOME SAY SHE JUST COULDNT BARE IT.
SHE NEVER RE-MARRIED, SHE TOOK GOOD CARE OF HERSELF-
DEPENDENT ON NO ONE, SHE KEPT TO GOOD HEALTH.
SHE HAD A POWER OF KNOWLEDGE, A SECRET TO MOST-
AND A WISH TO LEAVE THE CITY- HER DREAM WAS THE COAST.
LEAVING BEHIND THE PAST- AND THE FUTURE SHE KNEW-
TO BE FREE OF THE PAIN, SHE COULDNT UN-DO.
I'LL NEVER LOVE ANOTHER QUITE LIKE SHE-
HER INSIGHT GAVE ME THE WISDOM-
FOR WHAT TODAY, TOMORROW AND FOREVER MIGHT BE.
DESTINY WAS TO KNOW HER- GOD GAVE ME TO HER YOUNGEST SON-
THE LAST ONE TO SEE HER- HER DYING WAS YET TO COME.
ALONE SHE CLIMBED THE STAIRWAY TO HEAVEN-
FOR THE COAST AWAITED IN HER SLEEP,
BLESSED IS THE WOMAN SHE WAS- ODESSA VIRGINIA VANFLEET.
