Goodbye to a Friend

This past week has been difficult. I've had to say goodbye to a friend. I met Becky when I began teaching at the college in the fall of 1979. We became friends. We remained colleagues until I retired in 2005. She continued teaching until 2007. We both had brothers, no sisters. We both married men who did not have sisters. When we met, Becky had a little boy and a baby girl. I had a little boy the same age as Becky's and was pregnant. Becky was 12 days older than me. Our husbands shared our birth year. We both grew up on farms. We both commuted 30 miles to school. Neither of our families lived within an hour's drive. Becky and I both loved sewing - we both became quilters. We both enjoyed knitting. We both loved baking and Becky made the absolute best pies, especially pecan, that I have ever eaten. 

In our division at the college, there weren't many women so the few of us became close. We shared our joys and sorrows. We shared business trips. We shared our lives.  We came to love one another as sisters. 

The day our first grandchild was born, I was teaching. Our son was in contact with me off and on throughout the morning. At one point I hadn't heard from him in an hour and a half. Becky urged me to call - "We have to know!". I did finally call his cell and talked with Brad in the delivery room. It was the first time I heard baby Grace cry!  

Becky was helping load cattle Wednesday morning as she had done many, many times before. A cow hit the gate she was holding and knocked her down and unconscious. Before anyone could get to her, a cow stepped on her chest. Becky was airlifted but they could not get her heart going again.

It was an honor to know Becky and to call her a friend.