Sunday, January 16, 2011

Segment 1: Sebastian Vela at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memorial

Segment 2: Sebastian Vela at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memorial

Segment 3: Rev Curran at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memorial

Segment 4: Katherine Galvan at Middy WIlkinson's Celebration of Life Mem...

Segment 5: Deacon Costley at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memorial

Segment 6: Kurt Mann at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memorial

Segment 7: Deacon Costley at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memorial

Segment 8: Katherine Galvan at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Mem...

Segment 9: Deacon Costley at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memorial

Segment 10: Jamie Huerta at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memorial

Segment 11: Lucien Costley at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memo...

Segment 12: Lucien Costley at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memo...

Segment 13: Lucien Costley at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memo...

Segment 14: Lucien Costley at Middy WIlkinson's Celebration of Life Memo...

Segment 15: Lucien Costley at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memeorial

Segment 16: Lucien Costley at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memorial

Segment 17: Kurt Man and Susan Cherry

Segment 18: Rev Curran at Middy Wilkinson's Celebration of Life Memorial

Tuesday, January 11, 2011

BTW: /MiddyWilkinson channel on YouTube

Created a YouTube channel for Middy's vids. Will post bit by bit over time. enjoy

Sebastian Vela 2

Sebastian Vela 1

Sebastian Vela, Mariachi Crooner

Everyone has been asking, who was the amazing mariachi singer at Middy's memorial. His name is Sebastian Vela. Checkout MariachiMusic.com/blog to read more about his awards.

Thank you Sebastian for celebrating Middy's life. You will go far with talent like that! Middy will still be cheering you on.

More Sebastian http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WAKxltLIxn8

http://www.mysanantonio.com/default/article/The-Music-Beat-Mariachis-aspire-to-be-Idols-851474.php

Special thanks to

I wanted to recognize those who helped make the ceremony at Falfurrias High School possible and perfect: David K Perry, BCISD Superintendent, Gildardo Salazar, FHS Principal, Imelda M Cantu, FHS Theater Director, Cody J. Bigelow, FHS Thespian AV Tech, and FHS Custodial Staff as well as Lucian Costly, Jamie Huerta, Albert Galvan, Salome Diaz, Jack Murphy, Gilbert Salinas, and Jeret Gutierrez.

Monday, January 10, 2011

Big thanks to all who made Middy's Celebration of Life special

The night before Middy's Celebration of Life Memorial, Falfurrias had a big rain storm. The next day, everyone said it was Middy kicking off a party in Heaven. We were expecting over 500 people to attend the memorial service, so the High School graciously offer to let us hold it there. This was very fitting given how much of Middy's joy, aka her career as a librarian and student sponsor, took place at that High School. The custodial staff had to get their extra early to clear away all the debris left by the storm the night before. By the time we go there at 10:30, the High School look spotless both inside and out. The administrative staff had the building open and swarm of former students and the drama/speech department were setting up audio/visual equipment, staging plants, doing sound checks... In the foyer, several relatives were setting up pictures, flowers, and keepsakes that Middy held dear. I was awe struck at how many people had come together to make Middy's Celebration of Life perfect. Its the type of thing Middy would have done for someone else, and now, a new generation was doing it for her. Marcel Brown, a close friend of Middy's, walked through giving everyone the highest of complements, "She trained yall well".

Tessa and I drove home to get changed, and by the time we got back, the parking lot was filling up. In all, around 800 people came to pay tribute to Middy. And what an amazing tribute it was. I video'd it, so stay tuned for some youtube vids and DVD copies in the future. In a separate blog post, I want to list and thank the 'cast and crew' individually. I cannot do the memorial justice in this post, so I am not going to even try. I will just say that the most common statements I heard afterwards were, "I have never been to a memorial like that" and "Can I get a copy of the DVD".

After the memorial came the after parties. First, the First United Methodist Church had a wonderful reception were I loaded up on awesome chocolate chip cookies and punch. Middy would have like the idea of starting with desert. Next, everyone went to the Carousel, an adult day care center / event venue in Fal also known as the old Lacks furniture store. There was a full buffet at the Carousel for people to get their grub-on. As 8pm approached, parents were talking about putting their kids to bed and heading back out to Middy's for more celebration. Someone else will have to pick up the story from here because I wimped out and crawled into bed.

Saturday, January 8, 2011

Celebration of Life Memorial Service (Sunday, January 9, 2011 @ 2pm)

Please join us in celebrating the life of Middy Wilkinson on Sunday, January 9, 2010 at 2pm at the Falfurrias High School Auditorium (note: the location change). Afterward the memorial service, the First United Methodist Church of Falfurrias are hosting a reception.

In lieu of flowers, please mail donates to the Middy Wilkinson Memorial Fund in care of the First National Bank of Falfurrias, 200 S Saint Marys St, Falfurrias, TX 78355-4355