Gut Feeling Can Be Right

Sometimes your gut feeling just turns out to be right.

I met Julie Taylor several years ago when she was dating our nephew. I had been anxious to meet her because I had been told she was attending mortuary school. Naturally that had my attention.

When Daniel brought her to Reynolds for the first time she and I had several lengthy conversations about our unique business. I told her that I worked for a big company that had funeral homes all over the country and when she was ready to get a job to let me know and I would try to help.

I didn’t see her very often since she lived in Oklahoma but when I did see her we always had several “shop talk” conversations. I would tell her our industry needed people like her.

I wasn’t just being nice either. It was the absolute truth.

Eventually the time came and she was ready to go to work. She called and I looked in our directory of locations and markets and picked up the phone and called the person who was in charge of Oklahoma. I had never met that person in my life but I told them if they wanted a star to work in their market I had just the person.

She was hired the next day.

He had the same gut feeling I had.

Daniel and Julie’s romance eventually fizzled out and they fell in love and married other wonderful people and life continued on. But I always wondered how Julie was doing in the funeral business.

As things turned out, I eventually got Oklahoma in my area of responsibility. The first time I visited that market I asked about her and I found her at our biggest location in Oklahoma City.

And she had become the star I thought she would become. Made me very proud.

Button popping proud.

Last year on one of my visits she whispered in my ear and told me a secret not many knew at the time. She had recently discovered she was about to enter the ranks of motherhood.

I knew she would be a star in that profession too.

This week when I was in town I stopped by the funeral home to see her and for the first time saw pictures of her beautiful little girl.

Hallie Reese Kinion.

As I was leaving I was thinking about how things always seem to work out for the best.

Julie is one of my employees but she has also become my friend. And I am very glad I know her.

And if you ever get the urge to pass away in Oklahoma City, be sure to call Hahn Cook Funeral Home and ask for Julie.

She is the person you want taking care of you.

There is none better. And I have known more than a few.

I asked her to email me a couple of pictures that you see posted here. With that email she also included these words:

"I tell you what, I just don't understand how there are people out there who have kids and still don't believe there is a God. Babies truly are miracles, and I thank God everyday for the miracle that he gave us."

Like I said, sometimes your gut feeling just turns out to be right.