Favorite Final Food and that Important Story

What unexpected request could transform a bittersweet farewell into a heartwarming celebration of life? Tune in to discover a touching tale that reveals the powerful bond between family, a daughter, a stranger, love, and the foods that bring us back home.

Episode Summary:

In our inaugural episode of Family Tree, Food & Stories, co-host Nancy May recounts a deeply moving experience during her father Stuart's final days. Amidst heartfelt conversations and emotional farewells, an unexpected request from Stuart unveils a touching and unforgettable moment. Join us to discover how a simple question from a stranger led to a surprising revelation that beautifully captures the essence of family, love, and enduring memories.

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Family Tree Food & Stories 🎙️🍲❤️ is a heartwarming podcast that dives into the profound connections we have with food, family, and those treasured memories. Each episode shares personal and shared stories about recipes and traditions created just last week or passed down through generations. You'll laugh 😂, cry 😢, and crave more delicious moments 😋 as your hosts, Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely, celebrate the power of food and moments that shape our identities and strengthen our bonds with family and friends. Join us every week for uplifting tales that will leave you hungry for more of what happens next. Pull up a chair and enjoy the journey! 🍽️👨‍👩‍👧‍👦✨

About Your Hosts: Nancy May and Sylvia Lovely are the powerhouse team behind Family Tree, Food & Stories, an Omnimedia company that celebrates the rich traditions and connections that everyone has around food, friends, and family meals together. Nancy, an award-winning business leader, author, podcaster, and Sylvia, a visionary author, lawyer, and former CEO, combine their expertise to bring captivating stories rooted in history, heritage, and food. Together, they weave stories that blend history, tradition, and the love of food, where generations connect and share intriguing mealtime stories and kitchen foibles.

Tune in and discover the secrets and superstitions hidden in your kitchen cabinets—you might just find a new story to share during your next meal with friends, family, or even a business colleague. 

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welcome to our first episode of Family Tree Food and Stories.

Hello, I'm Nancy May, one of your co hosts to Family Tree Food and Stories.

And welcome to our first episode of this podcast.

Every good story always starts with an end in mind.

And so does this one.

It's about my dad, Stuart May.

You see, dad was a true New Englander.

Although born in Brooklyn, his heart was in the green mountains of New Hampshire,

where he went to school, But as the years went on, and frailty crept into his life,

at 99 we were facing, really the hardest part of his life and ours, hospice.

You see, Dad never wanted to give up, neither did we.

But what does this have to do with food and stories?

Well, let me tell you, as we managed those final days, my mom, my sister,

myself and I, and our wonderful aides, I brought in a chaplain from hospice.

I'm not terribly religious, but I thought I needed the help of

somebody who could give me a little bit more spiritual guidance at

this point in dad's life and mine.

as Pastor Scott and I got into conversation, he asked

about dad in his life.

I explained who dad was, what joy he had brought to us, How hard he

had worked to make sure my mom, my sister, and I all had roofs over

our heads and food on the table.

And he did a great job at that.

as I introduced dad to Pastor Scott, Dad listened quietly, with his eyes closed,

as Pastor Scott asked him a few questions.

one of the biggest questions he asked was, Stu, is there anything I can get you?

Dad closed his eyes, pursed his lips, and said, Clam chowder.

Really?

We had no idea.

and it kind of came to a shock to us.

But not really.

Because Dad loved his clam chowder.

Both Manhattan and New England.

the conversation, or should I say the words from Pastor Scott quietly and with

respect And just before he left the room with dad and me at his side, he said,

once again, Stu, You've had a great life.

It's such a privilege to meet you and to be here with you at this time.

tears welling up in my eyes.

I didn't have any words to add myself.

And he asked one more time, Stuart, is there anything I can get you?

And Dad, with his eyes closed, pursed his lips and quietly said, I love you.

Clam Chowder.

So you see, food does play a part in our lives right to the very end.

and when we had Dad's celebration of life, what did we have?

Clam chowder, ice cream and scotch, because he requested those too.

It's a privilege to be here as one of your hosts of Family Tree Food and Stories.

I'm Nancy May, and my other co host is Sylvia Lovely.

If you like the show, please share it with friends, family members, and anybody else

who has a food story, a family story, and connects it together with love, joy, and

excitement for future generations to come.

We have a book that's coming out soon, too, Family Tree Food and Stories.

We'll put a link in the show notes so that you can get information

on that very quickly and be able to get one for yourself.

on that note, please give us a great rating and continue to listen to

more Family Tree Food and Stories.

It's not about us.

It's about you, your friends, your family, the food, and the stories and

memories that you create together.

take care, be well, and ciao!