To the editor:

On behalf of the families from California, Colorado, and Kansas, I would like to thank the Peabody community for the sincere hospitality shown to us May 15.

Our mother, Myra C. Heath, was laid to rest with a memorial service led by her oldest grandson from California and her youngest granddaughter from Colorado at the Peabody Prairie Lawn Cemetery. Peabody United Methodist Church members were most gracious in hosting a luncheon for our families and guests. Thank you Carolyn Gard and your committee for a fantastic lunch.

Fond memories of mother’s 102 years were shared both at the church and at the gravesite. There were more smiles than tears. It was so good to see many of the townspeople at the gravesite — something to be said about the genuine caring character of people from a small town in Kansas.

Growing up in Peabody was definitely a huge character-building experience for me. I still love small towns more than cities.

The high school and the grade school I remember are gone, but not the hospitality and nature of the people that live there. We stopped by the house on Vine Street where mother last lived. The family living there now was most gracious and let us see the backyard.

We even drove four miles south of Peabody and revisited the homestead — four cars pulling into the farm to relive the fond memories of living there. Thank you for letting us intrude briefly.

What more do you need then, led by the examples of these people, letting us wander around into their yards on a Sunday afternoon? That is the spirit of Peabody folks — in town and on the farm — that I admire in today’s society.

Thank you, Peabody, for allowing us to share memories with our families on that special day.

Karen Heath Knight
Overland Park