July 27, 2011

Dear Judy:

My dear, sweet friend, you are loved so much and tonight my heart is very heavy because I know I will never see you again this side of Heaven.  There is just so much I wanted to say to you but my timing was all wrong and you were not up to seeing people when I could come.  I guess it was just meant to be that way.  I just wanted a few minutes to say thank you for all you mean to so many people and to say goodbye.  I wasn’t able to actually say it to you then but I can say it here right now.

I guess we all have been saying goodbye to you these past few months and now that the time is actually here, we still don’t want to say it.  We love you and will miss you terribly, but I promise you, you will always be with us.  I know we will feel your presence at every Friend’s Night and Thursday lunch from now on.  I’m so thankful you made your last class reunion and that I got to share that night with you.  I think we will all have the greatest memories when we look back on that and talk about it.

We have been blessed and so have your children.  What a wonderful role model you have been for Jeff and Jason.  They will be strong because you made them strong.  We will be strong because you made us strong.  I don’t know what you are seeing right now, but I know when the time comes, God’s angels will gently escort you to the other side and you will be in the presence of God and never be sick, tired, nauseated or in pain ever again. For that I am thankful.

And so, we release you to the angels.  You have fought a long, hard battle but that will be over soon for you.  The pain will be with us for a long time, but the memory of your smile and keen wit will also be with us.

I love you and I am going to say goodbye – for now.  I will see you again, my friend.

Susan