Etta

Twelve years as an Army nurse, then PA school and a career at the VA medical center, most recently on my service. She was most brave and courageous, often coming to work feeling ill, to care for patients that were in better health than her.

She was buried with military honors.

I was doing OK until I watched the arthritic hands of the octogenarian veteran honor guard volunteer as he patiently folded the flag that draped her coffin.