OPINION: Faith, Family, Fun…And Football

I’ve met few people in my life who have loved the Green Bay Packers more fully than my aunt Sandy (Pierce) Hilton. 

And as we sat in church pews last Friday to honor her life and put her to rest after she died unexpectedly at age 65 earlier in the week, it was obvious that there are likely few — if any — people who have loved this life and others more fully, too.

Over the years she donned Packers apparel of every kind, ranging from t-shirts to coffee cups and jerseys, holiday decorations, stretching even to furniture and other household items.

She posted on social media to let Aaron Rodgers and the Packers know when she wasn’t pleased with their performance but was often also the first one to post a ‘Go Pack Go’ or share green and gold heart emojis to her Facebook friends after a win. 

I thought the words of Monsignor Steve Kachel of St. Patrick’s Catholic Church in Onalaska at Sandy’s funeral summed her up well.

She lived the right way, Kachel told family and friends, saying she valued the three F’s—faith, family and fun. Sandy valued a fourth as well, Kachel explained with a wide smile, throwing football into the mix. 

Truer words couldn’t have been spoken.

The line to her visitation stretched out the doors of the church and into the parking lot Friday, and you could see the difference she made in hundreds of lives as the church filled quickly with people head to toe in Packers gear to say farewell to a good woman.

She was small in stature but gigantic in heart, always looking to serve others and do what she could to help. 

Sandy was the number one fan of her kids and grandkids, always eager to sit in the audience for sports and performances or just sit around and talk.

She opened her heart to many over the course of her life, volunteering for local organizations, serving the church as an usher and running an in-home childcare center for more than four decades at her home just off the Trempealeau Mountain Golf Course.

As people shared stories, smiles, laughs and tears Friday, I was reminded of how lucky we truly are to share this life with the people we love. 

I thought numerous times of Sandy’s famous Easter get-togethers, highlighted by her delicious egg bakes (she always made sure to have plenty of flavors to be sure people had something they liked), the time she spent hiding plastic eggs for her young nieces, nephews and grandkids and perhaps my favorite part in her punny “Hoppy Easter” that greeted you the second you walked in the door, followed by a big hug and her warm smile.

It’s a beautiful way to live, one I hope we all can attempt to emulate in some way. 

Watching the Packers beat up on the Bears last Sunday with my aunts and uncles felt different than usual. It made me smile as I sat watching, listening to my family share stories and going through old family photos, all while watching them yell at the television as Rodgers gave a grimy grin and we thought of Sandy throughout the game.

I know she was watching somewhere, probably still giving Rodgers a hard time for a botched pass or perhaps the defense for missing a tackle. 

Enjoy watching football this Sunday and every Sunday after. And even when the football game doesn’t end the way you were hoping, be sure to enjoy the people you’re watching with and the little moments that come with it.

Life is precious, treasure it with those you love. 

And for you, Sandy, Go Pack Go.