Beyond Nothing And Martha Waters

[Bob Boze Bell]

January 27, 2009
Travelled to Kingman on Sunday for the funeral of Charlie's mother, Martha Waters. Kathy and I stopped in Wickenburg for gas and probably spent ten to fifteen minutes at the Mobil Travel Stop outside of town on Highway 93. Took off once again and cruised through the Joshua Forrest and across the Santa Maria. Just past Kaiser Springs we saw an ambulance pull out of the Bagdad turnoff and speed north ahead of us. Just beyond Nothing, Arizona all the traffic came to a dead standstill. We heard more sirens, then a helicopter. Then another, until three medical copters all converged on the road up ahead and landed. People got out and walked toward the site. Rumors came back of 9 dead. Someone was passing another car (this dangerous, old road has been vastly improved in certain sections: we were on a split, four-lane highway) and had a blow-out, careened into the car it was passing and both rolled. Kathy walked up to the front of the line and counted back. We were the 15th car back from the wreck. If we hadn't stopped for gas, who knows?

We learned later that three had died and quite a few were in the hospital.

"Death is never at a loss for an occassion."
—Old Vaquero Saying

We had about a forty-five minute wait, so I took the time to sketch the terrain and the fantastic clouds. Really an amazing couple of days for clouds:

In Kingman we landed at Julie Waters' home on Hilltop where all the Waters were assembled to break bread and share memories of Martha, who died last week at age 87.

The funeral for Martha was held on Monday at 11 A.M. at Saint John's Methodist Church. I was honored by being one of the pall bearers and I also spoke, remembering how wonderful Martha was to me when I was growing up (she taught me how to eat with a fork!). Martha's son John gave the eulogy and did a wonderful job, telling us of her storied history. We attended the graveside services and a luncheon at the Elks Club. Martha had stipulated she wanted good food and lots of laughs and she got her wish. I've never laughed or cried more at a funeral. Martha led an inspiring life and both Kathy and I felt truly inspired by her example. Saw, Bob Burford, Coach Byram and the 1963 Homecoming Queen, Judy Ely, who lives in Tucson. Our Class Governor, Mickey Campa was there and he confided to me he has attended 18 funerals in the past year, then sheepishly admitted there were actually 22 funerals, but he missed four because he was hauling hay. That's so Mickey.

On the way home yesterday I saw even more grandiose clouds than on the trip up. Debated on stopping to take reference photos, but decided to try and take mental snapshots and try and capture them when I got home.

Here are a couple attempts:

This morning I had a doctor's appointment to check on my heart. The doctor was an hour and a half backed up, so I got to do some serious sketching of my cloud memories:

Did 10 sketches while I waited. Unlike several other grumpy patients, I actually enjoyed the wait.

"Everyone has a mother, but nobody had mine."
—John Waters, in his eulogy for Martha Waters

[Steve Sanders]

My wife and I are so eager to move down to AZ from Portland OR in the next year or so. We have had it with the wind, rain, ice and snow. I'm particularly tired of the same daily forecast: "Rain and 42 degrees." We will take vacation in April, explore Rancho Vistoso, Oro Valley, Sahuarita areas, look at houses. Then will put our house for sale here in May or June. Once its sold, we will move into a duplex and use equity to make a nice downpayment on the house we select. Problem is I cant retire for two more years, so my wife may be living down there, setting up house, with me visiting every 4-6 weeks till retired--unless my employer, Multnomah County, sees wisdom in buying some of us out as a budget-cutting measure. Thatd be great! Spend a lot of time daydreaming about the blue sky, desert, purple mountains and more frequent trips to Tombstone and Bisbee. Ohya.

[Sixgun]

Martha gave you those clouds Bob, 14 years on a volunteer fire department 4 years volunteer on a Sheriffs dept rescue team. You see things and sometime, sometime you learn a little.
Six

[Nicholas Narog]

"If we hadn't stopped for gas, who knows?"
I know exactly how you feel. A couple of years ago my father and I were on a road trip (that included End of Trail where I paid a visit to the True West Gallery). We were back in Minnesota on HWY 35 when we pulled off at the Northfield exit to break out the sandwiches we bought and get something to drink. Within 5 minutes we were back on the road. After driving about 5 miles we saw brake lights up ahead in the distance (we saw a shimmer of light), and when we came up to it we saw a green SUV, upside down, with the entire front end smashed to oblivion. I noticed this SUV at once, it was the one that was RIGHT in front of us before we turned off at Northfield. I later heard that apparently the SUV blew a tire and flipped, killing the entire family inside. It was all very, very sad. But to this day I couldn't help but think what would have happened if we didn't pull off for a couple of minutes to get something to eat. It's a scary thought.

[DieselDaze]

I think we've all had that "what if" moment. Sure makes you stop and appreciate just how fragile life can be.

[George D Rodriguez]

If your delayed for any reason don't try to make up for lost time by rushing. This has occured many times to my wife and I. But for the grace of god go I. As an ex paramedic of 19 years I have come accross many instances where death should have occured and didn't and where it shouldn't have and did. When they say life is stranger then fiction believe it, and when your delayed for a reason there is usually more then one reason.
George