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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,380 Likes: 1 |
I am very sorry to report the death of my sister Linda Garrick this last Sunday. I haven't been on the boards until today because of it. I received a call early Saturday from her husband and dropped everything to make a white-knuckle 14-hour drive to Northern California in order to arrive before it was too late.
My sister was awake and aware until the last minutes before her death, and I can only say that I was in awe of her courage. The doctors told her she had another day at the most. Linda decided that she had had enough and did what she has always done throughout her life. She didn't wait for something to overtake her. She charged in to meet it head on, on her terms. She ordered us to remove her oxygen mask.
Linda's courage was awe-inspiring. She had more guts than I have ever had or could ever hope to have. She was my sister for 55 years, and I loved her. I'm going to miss her for the rest of my life.
In closing, I would like to quote a phrase I read in the Star Trek novel, "Dreadnaught." Linda loved science fiction. She saw it as a hope for what the human race could achieve someday. This was supposed to be a piece of Klingon poetry, but I only remember the last two lines. They were incredibly appropriate.
"In the end, it is not to die. It is to die well."
Nan Smith
Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.
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Joined: Aug 2003
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Boards Chief Administrator Pulitzer
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Boards Chief Administrator Pulitzer
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 3,093 Likes: 40 |
I'm so sorry to hear this, Nan.  Brava to Linda for her final show of courage. My sympathies go out to you and your family. Sara
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Joined: Apr 2003
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,454 |
Nan, I am so very sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family and Linda's family. I'm glad you were able to share so much with your sister, and to be with her at the end. You know that all our thoughts are with you. Wendy
Just a fly-by! *waves*
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Kerth
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OP
Kerth
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,380 Likes: 1 |
My son isn't signed up to this forum, but he asked me to post this for him:
I honestly have not posted in any forum, and generally do not as a preference, but because of recent circumstances I feel that I should at least do this once in memory of my Aunt Linda.
The first thing I have to say, due to my Aunt Linda passing away, is that she truly was one of the most
inspiring people I have ever had the pleasure to know. I loved her for all that she was and I will miss her for as long as I will live. There is no one word that truly describes her, for she had many qualities that are unique. Kind, generous, I think that the thing that truly made her one of a kind is she cared for others before herself. I was not able to be there with her when she departed, and I will always regret not being able to see her one last time. I know that she found comfort in the fact that all of her family loved her and everyone wanted to be there for her. I will truly miss her.
Alan B Smith
__________________________________________________
Earth is the insane asylum for the universe.
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Features Writer
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Features Writer
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Nan, I'm very sorry for your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family. The Klingon quote was very appropiate.
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 2,569 |
I'm so sorry to hear about this, Nan. My sympathies to you and your family. I wish I'd had the opportunity to get to know her. She sounds like an amazing person.
If there's anything I can do for you or the family, please let me know.
Paul
When in doubt, think about penguins. It probably won't help, but at least it'll be fun.
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 3,644 |
I'm so sorry to hear that, Nan... she sounds like a really inspiring person, and I know you'll miss her.
May God bless you and your family in this trying time.
PJ
"You told me you weren't like other men," she said, shaking her head at him when the storm of laughter had passed.
He grinned at her - a goofy, Clark Kent kind of a grin. "I have a gift for understatement."
"You can say that again," she told him.
"I have a...."
"Oh, shut up."
--Stardust, Caroline K
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
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Boards Chief Administrator Emeritus Nobel Peace Prize Winner
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 9,362 |
I'm saddened to hear your news, Nan. Also shocked and stunned at how swiftly this tragedy has overtaken your family.
I never knew Linda, of course, except through your posts here on the boards. But I'm left with the impression of a special, talented woman, loving and much loved, and of a close family who I know will rally round and comfort each other at this time.
I'm sure that Linda left you all a treasure trove of wonderful memories that will be a blessing, in time.
My thoughts will be with you.
LabRat
Athos: If you'd told us what you were doing, we might have been able to plan this properly.
Aramis: Yes, sorry.
Athos: No, no, by all means, let's keep things suicidal.
The Musketeers
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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I'm so sorry for your loss, Nan. I know how awful it is for an illness to overtake a family member so quickly. I will be thinking about you.
Hugs,
JD
"Meg...who let you back in the house?" -Family Guy
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Columnist
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Columnist
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I'm so sorry, Nan, but I'm glad that you were able to be there at the end.
Thinking of you and your family,
Irene
I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once.
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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I'm so sorry, Nan. The glimpse we see of Linda through Alan's eyes and yours show us a wonderful person. My thoughts are with you and your family now as you grieve and remember.
carol
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Merriwether
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Merriwether
Joined: Dec 2004
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I am so sorry for your loss Nan. My thoughts are with you and your family.
Jackie
Superman: I hear you've been looking for me.
Lois: All my life.
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Kerth
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Kerth
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 2,082 |
The soul takes flight to the world that is invisible
But there arriving, she is sure of bliss
And forever dwells in paradise
- Plato
You can find my stories as Groobie on the nfic archives and Susan Young on the gfic archives. In other words, you know me as Groobie. 
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Pulitzer
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Pulitzer
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I am so sorry, Nan I hope you and your family will find the strength to deal with this. See ya, AnnaBtG.
What we've got here is failure to communicate...
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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If she had to move heaven and Earth, perhaps come back to haunt Perry and explain the story after they'd killed her, she would do it.
Waking a Miracle by Aria
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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I'm really sorry for your loss, Nan I partly know about awe-inspiring courage. My brother's best friend passed away three years ago.He was 26. He fought his cancer disease for nearly a year, even if every specialist had given him almost no chances to live, and during that year he *touched* the lives of people near him in a very special way; obviously he was loved by his parents, his brothers, his sister-in-law, his friends, but his courage and his strength during that year has ispired so much respect and love and pride for this wonderful young man who, during the last few months, helped his parents and family and friends to cope with his impending death. For my brother it's still difficult speak about him, and I can only imagine how much difficult it is for his family and expecially his twin-brother. when someone says the name "Federico", the very first thought is for him, that he is not here anymore, but the second thought is how much he was wonderful. You feel sad, and scared, and angry because he or she is not here anymore, but you feel honoured and grateful to have been a part of their life. My thoughts are with all of you; I hope your memories of Linda can help you in this moment simona
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
Joined: Aug 2003
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I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
TicAndToc :o)
------
"I have six locks on my door all in a row. When I go out, I lock every other one. I figure no matter how long somebody stands there picking the locks, they are always locking three."
-Elayne Boosler
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Top Banana
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Top Banana
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I'm very sorry to hear about this sad news. I guess hoping for a miracle didn't work. My thoughts go out to you and your family.
-- Roger
"The Constitution only gives people the right to pursue happiness. You have to catch it yourself." -- Benjamin Franklin
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Nan
I'm very sorry to hear you news. You and your family are in my thoughts.
Chris
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Beat Reporter
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Beat Reporter
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Ohhhh, I'm so sorry to hear about that. You and your family will remain in my thoughts and prayers.
Doran
Don't point. You make holes in the air and the faeries escape.
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