Alma Kellogg

Alma Leona Kellogg, 83, a resident of Albuquerque and Los Lunas, passed away Sunday, September 9, 2012. Alma was a loving wife, mother, grandmother, aunt, and friend. She is survived by daughter, Vicky M. Jones, son, Haden M. (Susie) Bowling; brother, Thomas Carey (Vera) Plant Jr.; sister, Veva Bigham; grandchildren: Shannon Bowling of Houston; Philip Saunders (Celeste) of Albuquerque; Nicholas Bowling of Albuquerque; Ira Saunders (Rose) of Albuquerque; Rosalyn Jones of New York; Taft Jones of Albuquerque, Craig Jones of Albuquerque; and great-grandson Cameron Saunders of Albuquerque and Sister-in-Laws: Nita Plant and Roxanne Plant of Moriarty. Alma was preceded in death by Cecil, her husband of 44 years; son, Dave M. Kellogg. She was the grateful recipient of a liver transplant in 1993 in Omaha, NE. A memorial service will be held on Saturday, September 15, 2012, 10:00 am at French on Lomas Blvd., with Pastor Harry Chapman officiating. Interment will follow at Estancia Cemetery. Should friends desire, memorial contributions may be made to New Mexico Donor Services,1609 University Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87102.Eulogy:On behalf of my Sister and I, I want to thank all of you for your kind words and for being here today to pay tribute to my mother's life and her passing on to a better place where there is no sickness, no pain and where she is not connected to an oxygen tube. In my mind, I picture her being healthy again and sitting at a card table with Dad and other friends playing bridge - something she and Dad enjoyed doing together. I found a poem by David Harkins which I revised a bit. I hope he does not mind. SHE IS GONE!Our mother, grandmother, sister, aunt and friend is goneWe can shed many tears that she is goneOr we can smile because she has lived a full and long life.We can close our eyes and pray that she will somehow come backOr we can open our eyes and see all memories that she has given to us.Our hearts can be empty and sad because we can't see her againOr we can be full of the love and warmth for having shared in her life.We can turn our backs on tomorrow and live yesterdayOr we can be happy for tomorrow because of yesterday.We can remember her and only that she's goneOr we can cherish her memory and let it live on in our hearts and minds.We can cry and close our minds.Be empty and turn our backs on realityOr we can do what she'd want:Open our eyes, smile, be happy andValue those memories.Give love to one another.And live life to the fullest.A reading by Vicky from a poem by Rachel Westmoreland GRIEVE NOTGrieve not when I have gone away,but think of wonderful days I was allowed to stay,to be with my family, other loved ones, and friends.Many thanks to all who gave me courage to go on,when the mountains seemed too high, and I did not feel very strong.I know I often made mistakes,but please know that I tried to give more than I would take.I loved each of you with all my heart,so remember only happy times before we had to part.