May God bless each of you.
It has been a hard week for our community. Many of you have already heard of the passing of an amazing woman, Teresa Hammond.
Although much will be written about Teresa, there will never be enough words to describe the effect this sweet kindhearted woman had on our community. My heart is heavy with the loss of this bright light in our community. She was a true Oakdale girl … she believed in this town completely and she loved the people here. For those of you who may not have known Teresa, she honestly was just the friend you hadn’t met yet. She brought sunshine into every room she entered. Her smile was contagious. Definitely a life well lived …
‘T’, as so many fondly called her, for years could be seen all around town covering a story, getting the scoop on a new business or covering everyday citizens. She loved being a local small town newspaper reporter and she was surrounded by a staff that loved her as family. T was the very best kind of person … her friends were many.
For the last few years T has waged a tremendous war in her battle with cancer. Family and friends rallied around her and she would keep everyone updated … she shared her journey with dignity and grace; always an inspiration to so many of us.
She and her children made the choice to fight this together; son Jackson and daughter Maddy were in the forefront of their mother’s battle. The three of them were truly the ‘Three Musketeers.’
The tremendous love that Teresa had for her children will serve as a mantra throughout their lives. T gave her children a great gift; she taught them to have faith … to believe in God … to trust in God’s plan.
Teresa fought a fierce battle. She fought with everything in her. She showed her children grit and the power of faith, the power of loving each other; she was a woman deeply loved by so many.
The words to all of us … from Teresa: “Don’t wait for someday … today is someday.”
*****
As always, you may reach me by email at winniemullins51@gmail.com or by text or telephone at 209-985-5233.
