Remembering my mom

I sadly and all too suddenly lost my mom last week. She was the most important person in my life. Losing 2 parents by 27 was one of the last things I ever expected to happen. To honor my moms memory I wanted to share her eulogy.

I want to start by thanking Monsignor Frank McNamee, Linda Dyson, and the entire Christ the King community. You all have helped push us forward during this difficult time.

My mom, Caryn Elizabeth Oxford, was an incredible woman. After hearing and reading all the stories shared over the past week and looking out over this crowd, it is clear not even I was aware of just how many lives she touched. It didn’t matter who you were or how long ago you met, she would go the extra mile for someone just because. This strength and grace she had is almost beyond reason. Time after time life threw a seemingly impossible challenge her way and time after time she faced it head on. She could have thrown in the towel, said why me lord, what did I do to deserve this. But she never did, she never gave in, she kept the faith. Unfortunately this time, there seems to have been no battle to be fought, but I know if there was she would’ve won, she always did.

What is so painfully obvious to me, is that she just turned the chapter on losing her Daniel.

We could all feel her life once again was filled with hope and joy.

Everyday she woke up excited to be a second generation Delta employee, everyday we woke up to a good morning text in all caps, and every night we - as a whole family - faced timed each other - sharing dumb details about our jobs, lives, and most importantly - Emily asking how we each slayed that day. That chapter, all too short, ended last week. Now, as tough as it is, we as a family, once again have to turn the page and start a new chapter.

I cannot hide from the fact that a future without my mom scares me. She was simply supposed to be there for Lindseys and I wedding, eventual birth of her grand babies, and beyond major life milestones - my mom would’ve been there for all the little things.

In some ways the future is more clear. We don’t have an option but to live like my mom and Daniel. They left us with a blueprint on how to treat people, on how to love your partner, and how to make an outsized impact on the world.

To my family, must we never forget the year of 2023. It has been filled with the highest of highs, me getting engaged to the love of my life and my cousin Mary getting married to hers - and we have also faced a lifetime of challenges. We held hands after losing our Aunt Mary to a long battle with cancer, we shared love when my beautiful cousin Madison lost her sweet Brooks shortly after birth, and now we must once again come together to honor my mother. It is you all who keep me going.

You may have known her as your favorite teacher, the fun aunt, the cool cousin, a great friend, an amazing woman, queen diet coke, a talented photographer, a trustworthy coworker or any of the other thousand hats she wore. I knew her as the best mom ever.

God bless my mom, god bless you all, and may her memory never be forgotten.

Thank you.