Sunday’s Memorial Service at Church Street United Methodist Church proved to be a fitting tribute for Kathryn Tucker Windham.

Though most memorial services are filled with tears, the Sunday gathering, which drew hundreds from as far away as Philadelphia, Penn., was full of music and laughter.

Windham’s memorial service felt more like we were remembering an old friend than saying goodbye.

In reality, we never have to say goodbye to Windham because her influence is everywhere. She touched so many lives that, while she may no longer be on this Earth, her spirit is still alive and well.

One of the speakers, Donald Davis, pointed out that Windham was not just one in a million. He said there are 307,006,500 people in the United States, and there certainly aren’t 307 Kathryn Tucker Windhams. He was right.

Though we will never have the opportunity to tell Windham in person how much she touched all of our lives, we can be proud that the city of Selma gave her a memorial  service that was a fitting tribute to one of our most treasured residents.

She would be humbled by the attention and kind words, proud that her stories were being passed on, and amused by the wax paper and comb performance of the choir.

Kathryn Tucker Windham was a special person to many. It was only fitting that she be given a special ceremony.