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Thursday, August 2, 2012

Goodbye, Old Friend

My friend June died this morning, and there will never be another friendship in my life that lasts 65 years. We were friends from 5th grade, survived junior and senior high ups and downs, arguing over whether majorettes or cheerleaders were the coolest. We both won scholarships to Stetson, even though we had never heard of it. We roomed together for two years there, and then she married Dennis, who is very lonely today. We named daughters after each other, and in recent years sent e-mails to each other instead of our daughters as we intended.

That explains why she sent me her draft obituary and the script for her memorial service last week, so I forwarded it to the daughter. June picked the songs, the scripture passages and the persons to read them, even the dress code (No black, please.)

Her oldest daughter, Susan, sent the following message to friends and family. I don't think she would mind my sharing. "In the end she simply stopped breathing, gently and with no struggle, and shed the old coat of her body. She has left her fatigued and worn-out body behind to return to God, where she had begun her being."

Godspeed, June. You have set us a good example.

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