We Lost a Dear Friend Today

In October 1971 we moved into an apartment building in Suitland, MD.  Glenda lived in the same building.  She became my friend and my mentor.  She taught me about being a new mom and a new military wife.  I'm not sure I could have survived without her.  She taught me so much - including what chicken pox looked like.  I was sure it was just a bad case of diaper rash on Andy but she knew immediately what it was.  She watched the kids often, brought food when I came home from the hospital with both Pam and Andy, and drove us to the ER when her son and Mike collided and both needed stitches.  When I was pregnant with Andy and the doctors thought near the end of the pregnancy that he was twins, she even offered to take one of them when I panicked.  She was always there for me -  and the kids loved her cookies.  

Her husband was in the Air Force and we crossed paths over the years as we traveled between duty stations.  We never lost touch.  We were stationed in Michigan at the same time - we were in Detroit area and they were in the Upper Peninsula.  We were both stationed in Louisiana - Roger in New Orleans and they were in Shreveport. Both times at opposite ends of the state.   When we retired we moved to Sparks, Nevada.  When they retired they moved to Minden, Nevada - 40 miles away.  

Glenda has had a long history of bouts of different types of cancer  and each time she went into remission.  Then she had a heart transplant because all the chemo destroyed her heart.  She has fought ill health for many years but her faith and her enthusiasm for life kept her going.  I spoke with her a few weeks ago and she said she was tired - very tired and was no longer going to seek medical treatment. She was at home with her husband and son. Today her body gave out.  She's gone now, but will never be forgotten.  It is truly a sad day.