Emelia Lillian Bean

Emelia Lillian Bean, 82, of Houston, Texas died on Tuesday, July 20, 2010. She was a faithful member of Saint Edwards Catholic Church for over forty years. She generously volunteered her time, special potato salad, and coconut cake as a proud member of the Compassionate Cooks. She was also a dedicated member of the Senior Saints, the Altar Society, First Friday Adoration, and the First Friday for the Blessed Sacrament. Emelia also sold religious articles on hospitality Sunday for the church every other month, and further volunteered for the church Homecoming Festival that was held every October. Her many friends of faith at her church remember getting out-witted by her superior skills as a domino player, and her potpourri of plants that she nurtured for years.

She is survived by her sons: Dan and wife Maxine, and Gary. Daughters: Paula and husband Bill, and Diana and husband Thomas. Grandchildren: Kris, Sean, Nakona, Justin, Morgan, Lukase, Michael, and Danette. Great- Grandchildren: Noah V., Jaiden, Brooklyn, Noah W., Cassidy, Emma, Makenna, Makayla, Debra, Max, and Zach.

Emelia was born and raised in Chappell Hill, Texas by Peter and Theodosia Brzymialkiewicz. Her long Polish maiden name was a favorite topic of conversation by her father, and Emelia maintained his tradition, like her brother Leonard did, of always smiling when people tried to pronounce or spell her complicated Polish name. Her beloved brother in heaven, let those who loved him off the hook though, allowing them to call him Breezy. Emelia always held a fondness of her Polish heritage, including the famous Polish sausage from Chappell Hill, the Texas bluebonnets and yellow flowers, and the homeland of her grandparents, Poland.

Emelia Bean is part of the Greatest Generation, living through the Great Depression, the rise of fascism, communism, World War II, the Korean War, the Vietnam War, the tragedy of the assassination of John F. Kennedy, Civil Rights, Woodstock, President Reagan, the explosion of democracy and capitalism, the internet era and the digital world, the Great Recession, and many other historical moments in World History. She maintained her faith and values through all of her trials and tribulations, passing them on to her children, even in the face of this great changing world after growing up on a cotton farm, raising chickens, cows, and vegetables, with no television, nor air conditioning, nor a car during the humble days of yesteryear back in the 1920s and the 1930s.

Safely Home

I am home in Heaven, dear ones;
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.

All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.

Did you wonder how I so calmly
Trod the valley of the shade?
Oh! but Jesus' love illumined
Every dark and fearful glade.

And He came Himself to meet me
In that way so hard to tread;
And with Jesus' arm to lean on,
Could I have one doubt or dread?

Then you must not grieve so sorely,
For I love you dearly still;
Try to look beyond Earth's shadows,
Pray to trust our Father's Will.

There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand;
Do it now, while life remaineth --
You shall rest in Jesus' land.

When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you Home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come!