Dorothy's Memorial and Saying Goodbye
Here are some thoughts from Dorothy's friend Helen:
September 4, 2004. Today we held a remembrance celebration of Dorothy’s life in Douglas, Michigan, a place that was special to her from the day she arrived 10 years ago. Dorothy was a volunteer at Mason Street Warehouse, a local theatre, where she operated a refreshment kiosk and ushered during this season’s four productions. Mason Street graciously opened their doors to us to host 60 of Dorothy’s friends in a celebration that included lots of balloons (Dorothy loved balloons), food, wine and three story boards. The story boards depicted Dorothy’s life as a child, young woman and successful adult – did you know Dorothy was a blonde for a while in 1967? The best part of the day was hearing all the “Dorothy stories” and realizing how many lives Dorothy touched as a friend, neighbor and volunteer. The story boards brought the most reaction with some people vowing to burn any and all photos of themselves, while others viewed the photos and mementos with mischief in their minds and laughter in their eyes. You could tell they were plotting a similar escapade against some unsuspecting friend! You’ve got to believe that Dorothy was smiling at the new friendships that took root today, but things will never be the same without Dorothy’s caring heart and wicked sense of humor.
September 5, 2004. This evening at sunset Bill, Alan and I scattered Dorothy’s ashes onto Lake Michigan just as she wished. I don’t believe any of us thought it would be such a hard thing to do, the simple scattering of ashes on a quiet beach, but suddenly all the emotions and disbelief came back and it was August 24th all over again. We waited until sunset to avoid most of the beach strollers, they would have been an intrusion for sure. When we decided it was the right time, the water reflecting a blazing orange sunset, we took Dorothy for a walk on the beach and watch as her ashes drifted out on a slow tide. The three of us sat on the rocks and didn’t talk much for a time, instead watching a few fish jump for bugs in the remaining light. We climbed back up the stairs on the side of the bluff, took one last, long look at Lake Michigan and said our goodbyes to Dorothy.
September 6, 2004. I don’t know if all of you know this, but every year since 1998 Dorothy participated in and helped organize the Blue Star Highway bridge walk, a .19K spoof on the Macinac Island Labor Day bridge walk. This was another of Dorothy’s pet projects, and she organized a kazoo band that steadily grew in size (but not in the quality of the playing, she said) over the past 5 years. This year’s 6th annual walk broke previous records with more than 1,000 people, some with pets, taking on the big walk. Two bagpipers lead the parade following a message from the town crier, decked out in leggings, a three-corner hat and large handbell. This is serious business! Halfway across the bridge was a table with juice and grapes to revive the faint-hearted. A sign urged “The weak should turn back now”, and at the halfway mark a banner encouraged walkers with “Halfway there. Keep going”. Dorothy loved the bridge walks and left her mark on previous years with her creative tee shirt designs to commemorate the day. In 2002 Dorothy forced me to march across the bridge playing a kazoo, a parade of one, so I would qualify to receive the official bridge walk completion certificate. Mind you, this was one month after the actual event! I’m sorry Dorothy wasn’t able to see the 1,000 milestone reached and even more sad that my buddy of 27 years wasn’t able to walk with me – what fun that would have been! I know she was there in spirit. I know she left her mark on each of us. It’s those unique special memories that will visit us in the coming months and years, and make us smile the kind of smile only possible when a friendship has been true and from the heart. Goodbye, my friend. You will be missed.
September 4, 2004. Today we held a remembrance celebration of Dorothy’s life in Douglas, Michigan, a place that was special to her from the day she arrived 10 years ago. Dorothy was a volunteer at Mason Street Warehouse, a local theatre, where she operated a refreshment kiosk and ushered during this season’s four productions. Mason Street graciously opened their doors to us to host 60 of Dorothy’s friends in a celebration that included lots of balloons (Dorothy loved balloons), food, wine and three story boards. The story boards depicted Dorothy’s life as a child, young woman and successful adult – did you know Dorothy was a blonde for a while in 1967? The best part of the day was hearing all the “Dorothy stories” and realizing how many lives Dorothy touched as a friend, neighbor and volunteer. The story boards brought the most reaction with some people vowing to burn any and all photos of themselves, while others viewed the photos and mementos with mischief in their minds and laughter in their eyes. You could tell they were plotting a similar escapade against some unsuspecting friend! You’ve got to believe that Dorothy was smiling at the new friendships that took root today, but things will never be the same without Dorothy’s caring heart and wicked sense of humor.
September 5, 2004. This evening at sunset Bill, Alan and I scattered Dorothy’s ashes onto Lake Michigan just as she wished. I don’t believe any of us thought it would be such a hard thing to do, the simple scattering of ashes on a quiet beach, but suddenly all the emotions and disbelief came back and it was August 24th all over again. We waited until sunset to avoid most of the beach strollers, they would have been an intrusion for sure. When we decided it was the right time, the water reflecting a blazing orange sunset, we took Dorothy for a walk on the beach and watch as her ashes drifted out on a slow tide. The three of us sat on the rocks and didn’t talk much for a time, instead watching a few fish jump for bugs in the remaining light. We climbed back up the stairs on the side of the bluff, took one last, long look at Lake Michigan and said our goodbyes to Dorothy.
September 6, 2004. I don’t know if all of you know this, but every year since 1998 Dorothy participated in and helped organize the Blue Star Highway bridge walk, a .19K spoof on the Macinac Island Labor Day bridge walk. This was another of Dorothy’s pet projects, and she organized a kazoo band that steadily grew in size (but not in the quality of the playing, she said) over the past 5 years. This year’s 6th annual walk broke previous records with more than 1,000 people, some with pets, taking on the big walk. Two bagpipers lead the parade following a message from the town crier, decked out in leggings, a three-corner hat and large handbell. This is serious business! Halfway across the bridge was a table with juice and grapes to revive the faint-hearted. A sign urged “The weak should turn back now”, and at the halfway mark a banner encouraged walkers with “Halfway there. Keep going”. Dorothy loved the bridge walks and left her mark on previous years with her creative tee shirt designs to commemorate the day. In 2002 Dorothy forced me to march across the bridge playing a kazoo, a parade of one, so I would qualify to receive the official bridge walk completion certificate. Mind you, this was one month after the actual event! I’m sorry Dorothy wasn’t able to see the 1,000 milestone reached and even more sad that my buddy of 27 years wasn’t able to walk with me – what fun that would have been! I know she was there in spirit. I know she left her mark on each of us. It’s those unique special memories that will visit us in the coming months and years, and make us smile the kind of smile only possible when a friendship has been true and from the heart. Goodbye, my friend. You will be missed.
Posted in Memory of Dorothy by madhaus at 22:29
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