"We leave traces of ourselves wherever we go, on whatever we touch." Lewis Thomas Mary Ellen touched my life as a kind and generous friend and fellow teacher. May we find peace and comfort in our treasured memories of our time together on this journey of life.

I shall remember a fall Sunday afternoon as we watched a frog floating in a paper cup in the swimming pool, the wedding party we had for Prince Charles and Diana at 2:00 Am where we served sausage-gravy and biscuits, eggs, and champaign, a trip to Bloomsdale where we walked across a swinging bridge, laughing, crying, frying okra, frying chicken gizzards, frying chicken liver, cooking purple-hull peas, and baking corn bread, Susan and Courtney rescuing passengers from an imaginary air plane crash (in the snow no less), Southwestern soup, finding out our families had been connected since the turn of the 19th certury in Oklahoma, sausage-rice casserole, spending evenings in front of the pool and watching the stars, trips to St. Louis when Gloria and I flirted with men in cars or truck (Mary Ellen sat in the back of the car and observed), teaching me to speak French properly (or at least trying to), returning from Oklahoma in the tiny Chevette (Susan, Courtney, Kay-Lynn, Mary Ellen and I) and stopping at many cemetaries), using Mary Ellen's house as our wedding "chapel". Mary Ellen as my resource when I needed help with English usage or definations, recommending that I read the Medford Series by Jan Karon, reading aloud THE RATS OF NIMN to each other and loving the story, Sullivan, Hally and Comet. I am sure as time goes by more memories will flood into my mind of the "adventures" I shared with Mary Ellen. For a moment, I'm sure, my throat will choke up and then a smile will come and I shall remember with gratitude my forever-friend, Mary Ellen. Doris Lea

Susan, I am terribly sorry I am unable to attend the memorial service as I am babysitting with my two granddaughters. I was very saddend to learn of your mother's death. Besides teaching together, she and I spent a lot of time discussing our mutual interest in genealogy. When I first began my family research in 1977 she gave me a lot of advice on how to get started and we would often compare notes on where we had gone, or perhaps how to pursue a particular trail. Being from Ste. Genevieve, she gave me background on some of your relatives that lived in Staabtown. Do you recall the Staab family? Your mother was a very brilliant woman and I feel blessed to have known her and truly sorry for your loss.

Susan Your mother was so proud of you! I enjoyed listening her talk about all your accomplishments. She was alway so kind to me and my family. It was a pleasure to work with her. When I lost my husband to cancer in 2005 she was very caring to me. I know your memories will sustain you during this difficult time in your life. Please accept my sympathy in your loss. Sincerely Kathy Westhoff