Oh my Sitzi. Here we are, together today, to celebrate your amazing life and the legacy of love you've left behind in each of the people in this room. To know you was to love you and to be so loved in return. It's hard to express the way your unending love has supported me in every new path my life has taken, and I know I am only one of many who can say the same thing. Your belief in me, and in my sisters, and in each of my cousins has never failed us. Through your actions, through your words, through your faith and through your encouragement we have all done things we thought were impossible. You have helped us see a side of ourselves that only you and our Giddoo could see. And with that gift of sight, through the eyes of complete and utter love- where there is no judgement, or comparison, or disappointment- pure unerring LOVE that you gave us always- we learned to love ourselves and those around us in ways most 30 somethings and 20 somethings will never know. THANK YOU!
Your belief in us also gave us a secret power that we now are blessed to pass on in each generation after us- whether it be to our own children, our nieces or nephews, or baby cousins- we will continue to love like our Sitzi taught us. Not blindly, but completely. Not fool hardy, but straight and sure. Not half heartedly, but with all of ourselves.
We are so beyond thankful for that foundation of love as we make our way in the world, as we fall in love with our own soul mates. I know when I say you and Giddoo's love is the kind they write stories about, everyone in this room agrees. That's where OUR story, OUR history begins. With a "rug salesman"!! Your stories of love and struggle and grace, or maybe not always Grace, but definitely courage and always faith are our building blocks of what love means to each of us. We couldn't have asked for a better example, a better teacher, for that pure, overflowing, unending love. Thank you Sitzi, from all of your family, for leading by example, by faith, and by love.
RIP Helen Haddad 3/25/2014
Written and Read by Alia Renee Capodici
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