As a child we had some special family friends. He had taught my dad in college and they had been friends-family ever since. Kelly and Martha never forgot us and were always bringing us things that we as children thought were really cool. Giant gummy spiders and rats, plastic animal noses, interesting trinkets from their travels. They were also the kind of people who had a house full of treasures from all over the world, but I was never told to "put that down" or "don't touch that" at their house. When they came to dinner, Martha brought the most amazing desserts. Then there were the slideshows. Images from their travels, and the stories that went with them.
Martha died earlier this afternoon. Sometimes growing up really stinks. (I guess people died when I was younger, but I don't remember it being so difficult- maybe it's because as a child your relationships with people aren't the same as they are when you are an adult.)
The picture is from last spring when they stopped by my parents house on their way home from a trip to southern utah.
3 comments:
I'm so sorry that you lost a dear friend today. I agree that it becomes harder to lose people as you age. I think it's because you gain more in common, and you feel more like peers than adult and child. Is her hubby still alive?
I'm so sorry to hear this! I have fond memories of Martha from when I met her a couple of times at your house. Had she been ill?
Condolences to her family and yours.
To update and answer the questions here-
Dr. Kelly was at our home overnight and we had a good but melancholy visit with him. He of course feels torn in half.
Martha had melanoma, first in her eye, and then about 15 months ago they discovered that it had invaded her liver. She fought it valiently, and last April when we visited them she cooked a lovely dinner for us and did not let on how ill she really was. They were heading to LA for another experimental treatment with great hope.
By the end of September, while not in pain, she was becoming so weak that it was difficult for her function, and her liver was almost completely gone. Her last few days were in the hospital with Kelly at her side, and she slipped away peacefully.
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