I am missing my friend Liz.
That last week, visiting in the nursing home, I told the nurses that they just had no
idea how great she was. Since then I’ve been going over in my mind just what
made me say that.
Liz was true to her beliefs. If she thought a group was doing worthwhile work she
financially supported them and many times if possible volunteered for them – and
there were many such groups. She was an avid bird watcher so participated in the
bird counts sponsored by Cornell University. She was a dog lover. Tom and Liz’s
dogs came to them through various routes. I think by the time they got Apache he
was so traumatized that he didn’t get off of their couch for the first 2 weeks. And
Corky was a dog that needed a home so Liz and Tom took him in. What pleasure
they got from the dogs, walking them in Poland Woods and in the process
forming a large circle of dog loving friends.
Her mind was so sharp. Honoring the year that St. John’s celebrated the
sesquicentennial she researched and wrote the abbreviated history of St. John’s
by decade, for The Good News. She could recall a hymn just by a sentence and she
practically knew the hymn number also. The same was true for Bible passages.
She made me think the educational system in England must really be something!!
Then with me – her sense of recall was so much better than mine, – about what I
was thinking!!! –Liz, who is my favorite author? Gail Godwin came the reply. Yes,
that’s it!! Liz, what was that book we read with the…? The answer was always
there. Even now – trying to recall the first book we read in book club?? I think
book club started around the year 1997 – 98 with a book that was immensely
popular but did not quite line up with what we thought. Liz of course would know
the title and year immediately. [Conversations with God by Neale Donald Walsch
– I remembered enough to google it…]. We both loved mysteries – from the dark
Scandinavian twisted characters and murders to the light hearted, funny, M.C.
Beaton’s characters, Agatha Raisin and Hamish MacBeth. I feel slightly guilty
mentioning my reading and hers in the same paragraph. She was much deeper
into theological reading for EfM and more spiritual reading. I think she always had
about three books going.
Liz was just so much a part of my life. She came in every week to sign checks even
on the “dark, dank, dreary” Youngstown days- evidently England’s rain isn’t quite
like ours!! – and we would talk about what was going on. We got through a rocky,
divisive time in the church when the main altar was placed in the center of the
cross of the church and also through several clergy changes!! We walked for many
years for the CROP Walk. We worked on the Continuum of Care for Mahoning
County – part of obtaining the county’s HUD grant. She got me started working
with the Needle’s Eye. Then we began walking in and supporting the Panerathon
as Liz’s battle with cancer began.
Books being a big part of lives, Liz gave me a book recommendation less than a
week before she died: Being Mortal: Medicine and What Matters in the End
by Atul Gawande. She spelled out the author’s name for me. I went to the library
that afternoon, got it, and immediately read it. What a friend – giving me a tool to
help understand and to be better prepared for what was happening. This is why
she was so great.
O God of grace and glory, we remember before you this day our sister Liz. We
thank you for giving her to us, her family and friends, to know and to love as a
companion on this earthly pilgrimage. Console us who mourn. … BCP 493