6 'Memory Bears' Sewn With Love and Grandpa's Flannels For Widow's Grandchildren

[nightwing1240]

snip

Patrice Travis works as a volunteer seamstress at AccentCare Hospice care in Texas, sewing a “memory bear” anytime one of their wards passes away. Thomas Lennon worked at the very same hospice for years before he died in August 2022 due to complications with Parkinson’s disease.

Thomas’ widow, Mary was asked by AccentCare’s community outreach manager Christina if she wanted a memory bear in Thomas’ honor, but she requested six—one for each of his grandchildren, to be made out of his flannel shirts and in time for Christmas.

Travis started right away and researched Thomas for details about him. She decided to make the bears look like “Pom-Pom,” grandpa’s nickname. She found eyes that matched his eye color, glasses similar to his, and put them on the bears.

She learned he always said, “Peace” when leaving a place. So, she found a patch with “Peace” on it and added it to the paw. Thomas played guitar, so she found guitar pick holders and sewed them onto the bear, and placed Pom Pom’s used guitar picks in each special pocket. Diligently, she worked. Left with extra shirt material, Patrice decided Mary needed a bear, too.

Link - https://www.goodnewsnetwork.org/6-memory-bears-sewn-with-love-and-grandpas-flannels-for-widows-grandchildren/
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On a day where I think we can all use something positive, I came across this. It reminded me of my late wife who loved working on and sewing these types of things. She also had sewn four quilts, one for each of our grandchildren.

[2naSalit]

1. That's nice.

A great idea for the grandkids.

[judesedit]

2. Such a loving person. Hope blessings rain down upon her

[Duppers]

3. Sweet, Lovely, & ...

Very Loving.

[usaf-vet]

4. Wow fabulous story. I can imaging how much time it took to sew one let alone six unique ones.

[Fla Dem]

5. What a beautiful person. I hope she can continue for many years and when her time comes

she too is blessed with loving remembrance.

[karin_sj]

6. Thanks for posting this

I needed it after all the heartbreaking and infuriating news I've read this morning.

[Moosepoop]

7. My sister-in-law makes these.

I have two daughters, one who was in her twenties and one who was a teenager when their father died in an accident.
He always wore flannel shirts, and his sister made Daddy Bears from them for my daughters. Those bears meant the world to the girls, and still do, many years later. They hugged and cried into those bears for a long time. Now they have places of honor on shelves in their homes.

Even "big kids" love and cherish these creations -- I salute all those who make them.

[usaf-vet]

8. Maybe the mood in parts of the country is changing away from NEGATIVES and insults. To respect.....

...for others.

Let me tell you this short story that happened to me just yesterday. (This was posted on the Community Facebook page yesterday)

This is why we live in this town in northern WI snow country. This is why we love living here. . Today; we were waiting for the delivery of a new gas stove. We knew it was coming first thing this A.M. We woke up to find out that the city crews had been winging back the snow. They closed the walk's end with large chunks of snow and ice.

That is not a complaint about the city crews and snow plowing. IMHO they have been doing a great job staying ahead of the snow storms..

So I grabbed a shovel and went out to reopen it.

I was chipping away and shoveling the chunks of pack snow and ice onto four-foot high banks at 75, soon to be 76; that's not as easy as it once was.

When I looked up, a small black/blue pickup with a plow was passing when the truck saw me struggling to get the chunks up and over; he stopped backup, turned the plow, took three passes, and opened the walk. On the last pass, he rolled down the window and said, "is that better?" I said yes, thanks; he smiled and drove away.

All I caught as he was leaving was "Janitorial Services." Not 10 minutes later, the truck showed up with our new stove and an open walk.

This story will continue because when I googled Janitorial Services, at least four apparently different ones showed up. So I want to get the right one for this thank you story.

This is the story's point ... there are good people in this town who will help when they can without expecting anything more than a thank you and a return smile

Here is the amazing part of this story In this town of 8-9 thousand people, Over 450 individuals posted a reply; all 450+ named the same person; his initials are B.E. every comment was positive, Not one single negative. That completely made my day.

Oh! Yes, and a new stove to replace the 1984 one.

[Karadeniz]

9. WONDERFUL !!!

[EarlG]

10. Update on this story (and a couple of minor corrections)

I received an email from AccentCare thanking you for posting the story, and they asked if we could make a couple of minor corrections:

First, Thomas Lennon was a patient, not an employee; second, the location of the story is Boston MA, not Texas.

If the OP would like to edit the original story to correct this that would be great, otherwise the correction will live here.

AccentCare added:

Please tell the person who discussed the memory bears…Thank you for spreading this “good news.”

We love telling wonderful stories about our team members, volunteers, patients and their families.

And I’d love to send Patrice this sweet mention of her good works!

Thanks