Psalms 116:15 “Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of his saints.”

My Friend, RoseMarie, was not only “Precious in the sight of the Lord”, she was
“Precious” in my sight. She was always there for me, through thick and
thin. We have loved and enjoyed our friendship since 1975.

We first met at a women’s retreat at Camp Ivydale. A group of women, both old and young, were visiting in a little circle under the fragrant pine trees. RoseMarie suddenly burst into tears, left the circle and went running to her cabin. I ran after her and found her in tears on her very, lumpy cabin bed. She shared with me that being there with her Mother’s peers was happy/sad. Her Mother has passed away and the close, Christian, friendship with those women caused her to miss her Mother. My heart went out to her and stayed!

I lived “way out north of Eagle” back then. My daughter was taking gymnastics down the hill from RoseMarie and Jerry’s place. The classes were in the evenings and I would go to their house and wait. RoseMarie and I would have a short slumber party on those nights: lots of chatter, watch a favorite TV show or share life. It was a very special time of building our life long friendship.

My family moved to Seattle in 1984, but our friendship continued. We had a boat on Puget Sound. RoseMarie, Jerry, Matt and Sharla came to visit and we took them for a small cruise around the Sound. It was a day full of sunshine, beauty and laughter. We caught an unusually, large, ugly, blue fish. We ate it for lunch only to learn later it was a record size for its species. Matt and Sharla, by themselves, took the dinghy over to a small island and explored. They were so excited to find deer. We were excited that they made it back to the boat.

Unfortunately, I went through a difficult divorce in early 2001. RoseMarie and Jerry were a Godsend. They not only helped me through the severe changes in my life but, literally, moved me into a new place. And soon we were worshipping together again in a new place, Eagle Christian Church. We have shared our Christian joy through troubled times and good times.

In 2008 we went to the Holy Land with a group from Eagle Christian Church, a grand experience for us. When we arrived back in New York City we stayed there four more days to sightsee. We toured the city in an open topped bus, road through Central Park in a horse drawn carriage, took a boat cruise and saw “Mama Mia” on Broadway. We stayed in the Grand Hyatt by Grand Central Station. We had $25 hamburgers at the hotel and agreed that you get more for your money at McDonalds’. In the mornings we went across to Grand Central Station for coffee and people watching. It was a grand finale to an awesome trip.

And now my Friend sleeps and awaits the Second Coming. The journey through Alzheimer’s has been a journey none of us ever wanted her to have to take. But she walked through it with such grace, courage and peace knowing this world was not her forever home. In life and in death, she has taught me to love each day and each person in that day. She is my Forever Friend. Doris Blakely Crane