This is the speech that my mom's lifelong friend, Abby Maurier, gave at the Celebration of Life.  It was wonderful to have Abby share this with all of us.

This recounts the visit I had with Mary Claire, after I first learned that she was in Hospice.

It’s dated July 11^th.

 Julie met me at the door and ushered me up to the bedroom. 

Mary Claire was dressed in a bright blue top and pajama bottoms. That shade of blue has always been her color, and was quite striking against her very white hair.

 I was shocked that she’d gone down hill so quickly. I’d seen her in May- on her 80^th birthday- and brought her a decorated cake. Mary Claire looked thin but still good, then.

 She was in good humor that day, and glad to see me. We laughed a lot as I read to her a memoir I’d written in a memoir-writing class, entitled The Girl Across the Street, recounting our many magical childhood adventures…

Mrs. Bagley’s nursery school, dolls, play-acting, dress-up, fossil hunting, figure skating, movies, and of course,  (when we were very little) running away from home!

 Mary Claire loved the photos too- altho’ I could only find a couple from our childhood days. I also included some photos from recent year when we were together- she looks so good in those photos.

 After about a half-hour of laughing and sharing- it was time to say good-by.

I’ve gone through this with my mother-it’s a very painful, but spiritual time.  Death, I concluded then- and remember now- is part of life. And- we mourn for our loss of someone who knew you and had been connected to you in a very special way.

 I gave Mary Claire a big hug –and she, me. I told her I loved her- and she, me.

 It’s very sad to lose such a good friend, and we’ve been really so very lucky to have one another.