Hi Joanna,

Your mom, Gwen, your dad, Mike, you & Michelle and of course your families are always in our thoughts, as you all move through this stage of your mother’s life.

I’m so glad that your mom and I were able to have a friend to friend visit in June at their house. It was great to see the beautiful yard and changes in the house since I’d last been there.

We have visited on the phone a couple of times since then. My last chat with your mom was just prior to us going to Edmonton for Thanksgiving. We had our usual long chat; once we started talking I forgot that she might be tired and chatted on-on-on. I was worried that I’d been tiring her out, after we hung up.

I have a few thoughts which I’d like to share.

Hi Gwen,

Thank you for being a such a sincere, valued friend for several decades. I’m so lucky that we ended up living on the same crescent for so many years. Your friendship is very special to me.

Thank you for not only being my friend but for sharing your family with us. You and your family were a special part of our lives.

I will always remember –

our times together at the skating rink
our helping at Heritage Elementary events
watching Corey, Michelle, Robyn and Joanna grow from preschool children, to elementary school, to teenagers in high school, to young adults in university, to getting married, to having children of their own
watching volleyball games together at home & away
listening to the DP Todd band ; being very proud of their participation; Mr. Mason & the band
tagging along on the band on trips
walking as fast as we could around the neighbourhood to get our exercise, chatting all the way ; even at 6:00 A.M.
visiting at one of our homes after the early Christmas Eve service at St. Andrews
the angels which Joanna & Robyn made at the Youth Group
the part which you played in Corey going to France for twenty-seven days
our chats over a cup of tea or at times a glass of wine
the kids enjoying each others company
including our children
I’ll never forget our trip home from Vernon after the girl’s volleyball tournament with the orange low gas light on for half of the way; we laughed all the way home wondering whether we were going to have to flag down the bus which the team was on
needless there are to many things to list so I will stop now

I’ve appreciated Joanna’s daily blog. It has brought tears but also smiles when reading the entries. It gave me the time to grieve but rejoice in your life and fight to live.

When the time comes I will be trying to smile, as you fly like a butterfly into the blue yonder.

You will be missed and remembered.

With love,
Violet