Help with words for "Celebration of Life" in lieu of funeral story?

I won't be at Grandma's Celebration of Life but MIL will read it for me.

She took me in as one of her own grandchildren 27 years ago. We became close, I learned she did not know of her family tree, we found wonderful things together between her info and Ancestry.com. She had a challenging childhood, an infant at the time, the hurricane of 1926 in Key West landed her mother in a mental health care facility until death at age 107. Back to California after the hurricane, her father was hit and died, he stopped to help another truck with a flat tire in 1930, and orphan at age 4. Her and her two siblings went back and forth between different foster homes and an older aunt in Key West (living was tough out there back then). Her name was Jean at birth, but one of her foster mothers was french and used Jeanne instead. She met and married the love of her life, he built the home she lived into til this day. Oh the stories she told me.

I remember a trip out there in the late 1990's, just us 3, me, WWW and her. She dug up some of her dresses/purses/slips/yard clothes that had been stored for decades, who knew, they were a perfect fit! I wore and treasured some of those for my work outfits for for like 15 years and still have them (still perfect after over 60 years).

And all the phone calls over the last 27 years. And all loving handwritten notes and cards she sent us over those years.

Anyway I am not sure what to include and what not to, of course I would like to include some words like "courage" "strength" "overcoming" "compassion" "grace" among others.

I'd be thrilled for any suggestions.

Thank You

 

Thank You Gentlemen, guess I was trying to impress MIL (which happens to have a genious IQ. Literally). I will be "going from the heart", and hope she does not edit/omit it too much.

 

My condolences NH mountain man, please be extra kind to yourself over the next few days? I appreciate your input on my letter, thank you. And, God Bless you Mother NH Mountain Man.

 

Incidently her ashes arrived in the mailbox today, we will keep "her" safe until we can access the mountain passes up here. No worries on prying BK, she was having back and toe pain for several years now, they finally found cancer in her back. Turns out it had metasticized from her lungs to more places than just her spine, but the spine pain was what brought it to light. Just interesting, arrangements were being made for minimum of several months of home care before Hospice was called in, but she passed within days instead. I hope someday I will understand why she refused pain management medications.

 

I cannot imagine how painful that was to witness.

 

Wonderful!! Also, sorry for details, but get her wishes as far as burial/cremation/crypt/urn.... We are honored to spread her ashes but I am not sure who's wish that is. Now, our friend that was taken in the floods of 1997 in Fort Collins, she told us straight up how and where she wanted to be put to rest (ashes on Mt Cindy Colorado). Anyway I am thrilled you and your mom are planning, none of us ever know when or if this is our last day here on earth.