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Dear Suzanne,
I want you to know what an inspiration you have been in my
life. You are one of the most elegant and gracious women I've
known. A truly radiant person that makes people take notice even
though you were always so modest that I doubt you ever knew. You
always had the right words for the right time and you dispensed
words of wisdom with a smile and a kind heart that reached many
and touched all those you know.
I always wished for your poise and confidence -your assured
nature- that all was well and that you were seeing to it that it
was done to the perfection you established by your own model and
character. Even when you disagreed you were still diplomatic and
always thoughtful to think before you acted. It seems so fitting
that you're last names was "Pearl" as you are the type
of woman that is rare- always dressed perfectly always ready at a
moments notice to come to the aid of a friend and your loyalty was
never in question to those of us who were blessed to call you
friend.
Your bearing was always regal and it was with the same
strength of character that you faced your greatest obstacle- your
death.
When they first diagnosed you with Lou Gherigs Disease it
seemed impossible that someone as beautiful and strong as you
could ever succumb to anything. Yet, we watched as day by day a
little of our Suzanne was taken from us. Your beautiful words that
you spoke with such wit and charm when asked to speak at one of
our gatherings no longer came from you. You lost one of your
greatest gifts first- robbed of your speech you wrote incessantly
always with a notepad in hand you smiled and wrote fiercely to
keep up with the conversation.
The long looked forward to retirement that you and Bob had
planned for with the travels to anywhere and everywhere were
dashed when your strength failed and you could no longer keep up
with the strain of airports and travel groups.
I drive past your home out in the country and I see that
your garden has not been tilled nor will it this year and there
will be no dandelion wine this fall nor little Easter bunnies made
of homemade chocolate covered cherries that I adore.
It seemed to take you so fast this hideous disease that made
you not be able to swallow and to lose so much weight they had to
put in the feeding tube. But somehow we all failed to notice that
you no longer smiled when we came to visit or that your eyes were
no longer bright but simply tired. We didn't want to believe that
our dear Suzanne was being taken by us.
It seems like yesterday that you were at the wedding hugging
us and telling us "best wishes". I could not
imagine seeing Bob without you at his side.
Bob is holding up but he misses you so much. He didn't want
to see you suffer and we all knew that you were still able to
think inside the cage of your body. It is perhaps a blessing that
you died while sleeping in the comfort of your home you so loved
on the property that was your parents farm where generations of
your family still live and farm today.
Bob told me he took you out to sit in the sun which you so
loved- a child of August I never saw you without a tan. It seems
fitting that you had one summer day before you went to sleep on a
cold and stormy night and entered into the eternity of God's
heaven you believed in so feverently.
The world is less shiny and bright without you in it- you
were the most regal of stars and one that shined so very brightly
that the world seems darker without you in it to warm us and guide
us. But I have no doubt that you are shining brighter now
than any of us could imagine and when I look to the east and see a
star in the sky I will know that your brightness and laughter
continues in a place where there is never rain and only the warmth
of sun where you are waiting with words of welcome to greet
us one day.
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