I lost the love of my life at 5:30 PM on Friday, December 7th at the Novant Forsyth Medical Center in Winston-Salem. She passed peacefully surrounded by me and our 4 offspring, Sally, Terry, Greg, and Tim. In expressions from family, friends, and acquaintances when learning of her passing, she is described as “point of light,” “endless energy,” "beautiful smile,” “great warm laugh,” “love of life,” “wonderful, bright spirit to be around,” and on and on. She was all of those and much, much more to her immediate family. She was the “centerpiece” of the clan, and had family management skills she didn’t even realize she possessed. It just came naturally. Her love, spirit, enthusiasm, personality, and energy went with her wherever she went.

For me, she was my inspiration, my lover, my friend, my crutch, my caregiver, my confidante, my advisor, my everything. I was truly blessed to have this incredible lady as my soulmate through almost 64 years of my life. To say she will be sorely missed would be an insult to how I really feel. Life will never be the same, but life will go on.