A Letter to my Mamaw:The Heritage of a Name

In honor of my Daddy's mother:

Ruth Ann Bruffey

May 20, 1943 - August 20, 2010

Dear Mamaw:

Mama says you went home to be with Jesus on August 20, 2010, just 2 months before I should be born. Mama and Daddy are so sad because they miss you, but they tell me that you are in God's Heaven and that is the best place! Mama says you were such a special part of our family here on earth and that she and Daddy want me to know all about you! Daddy and Mama promise that they will tell me all about you and Papaw and the incredible faith you had in God through Jesus. Mama says our family has a rich heritage of Christian faith and love because of you, Papaw, Grandmother and Grandaddy. Mama believes that it is this heritage and example of following Christ that she believes God will use to teach me about Jesus and lead me to follow Christ myself. Mama and Daddy told me the best story about you helping them pick my name! Mama believes names are SO important and I just love mine! AND, you and Daddy created my name sign in ASL! I love that it combines Daddy's and Papaw's name signs - they are great men and I know I'm blessed to have such wonderful, godly examples to learn from how to be a man. And Mama tells me so many of my great baby and boy clothes are from you! Some you gave us that my Daddy wore and some you bought for me, even when you weren't feeling well. THANK YOU! The clothes and shoes you gave Mama and Daddy for me really made my Mama's heart smile and be filled! Oh Mamaw, my Mama's and Daddy's hearts ache because they had so many dreams for you and me as Mamaw and grandson. We will all miss you greatly here on earth, but Mama has already started making picture slideshows and Daddy has made these great DVDs from all the Melton and Bruffey family home movies - they want to make sure that I know all about the heritage and history of my family, especially you and Papaw who are now in Heaven. Mama says that you had God's heart for people and family - that from the first time she met you, you opened your home and heart and adopted her into your family. She says you showed God's heart, like in John 1: 12 - 13 "Yet to all who received him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God." Mama knows that her family doubled from her Parish family to include her new Bruffey family when she married Daddy - and that you set that foundation for the family with God's love you show to us all! I am proud to bear the Bruffey name and Mama prays that God will grow me into a man of God that honors Him and the Bruffey heritage. Mama says she'll tell me all about the stories of her 5 1/2 years of knowing you - from games of dominos, Scrabble, and cards to times of family, giving, and sharing faith in Christ and following him. And Daddy will tell me all about growing up with you and Papaw and Aunt Beryl and Aunt Cheryl. We will continue as a family bound strong by love, just as our family has been while you were here with us! Mama knows that we'll celebrate and share life together just as you taught us to do. Mama and Daddy will teach me all about ASL and Deaf culture and we will have times of using just ASL so I can be a part of the Deaf community like my Mamaw and Papaw. And Mama knows that my cousins, Matthew, Taylor Ruth, Emma, Parker, Mallory, and Chase will tell me all about you, too! We will keep you alive in our hearts and memories!

I love you, Mamaw. We can't wait to see you again some day in Heaven!!

Your youngest grandchild,

Jacob Parish Bruffey
(Jacob - a man of God (Genesis 32: 24 - 30))