Larry, Noah and I are so very sorry for the loss of Cenny. We wish we could be there for the memorial but it’s not going to be possible for us at this time. My dad and I spent some time going through our photos. We’ve found quite a few and couldn’t quite narrow it down so I’ll be posting a lot here. We love you very much and we have been thinking of you.

For my part, I feel very fortunate to have been able to spend time with Cenny from such an early age. I think the first memory I have is Cenny letting me wear one of the (many) beautiful sun hats in her collection on the beach in Sharm-El-Sheik in the early 90s. She was kind and fun and very, very fashionable. We did a lot of vacationing and traveling together during my family’s years in Egypt. We took trips to Paris, Jordan, Israel, and several destinations in the Sinai. There were lots of shared meals (the Eilat salad being a personal favorite for both of us) and there were many times our family was able to get together with the Belkens even after our days in Egypt were over.

In 2007, my mom, sister and I went to visit Cenny and Larry in Colorado. Cenny took us sightseeing everywhere we wanted to go and then some. She took us to the Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, to see Mile High Stadium in Denver, and on a beautiful evening hike. I learned a valuable piece of information from Cenny on this trip. I had forgotten to pack something for my travels and she said “Emily, you know what? It’s fine. Here’s what I say: If you forget it, you can buy it!” Forgot your toothbrush? Buy a new one! Forgot your shoes? Oh well, time to go shoe shopping! Forgot to bring earrings to match your necklace? Find a jewelry store! And I’m pretty sure that we immediately went shopping together after that. All jokes aside, this has really stuck with me and every time I go on vacation I repeat that to myself, and I think of her.

In 2010, my sister and I were lucky enough to visit the Belkens during their first stint in Panama and they welcomed us into their home for over a week like we were their own family. Cenny and Larry took us sightseeing, to the Canal project, to all the best places to eat. I was warned about the ‘pirates’ and I was more than happy to follow directions to avoid them as well. They even let me drive their Honda through the “Circle of Death” on more than one occasion! At the end of our time in Panama, Cenny and Larry took us on a beautiful road trip south of the city (I think it was Pedasi?) where we stayed at a luxurious resort with beautiful rooms and lovely hammocks for reading and relaxing.

I suppose Cenny was like an aunt to me, but that also seems like too insignificant of a word to describe her presence in my life. She was there through a large portion of my childhood and our travel adventures. She spoke French with me when I was learning the language, we shared a mutual hatred for ‘pirates’, and she taught me how to make amazing salsa and authentic hummus. She and Larry were there when I married my husband Noah, and we have been fortunate enough to see them several times since our wedding as well, despite living so far away. The last time I saw Cenny was shortly before the COVID pandemic when she and Larry joined our family for Thanksgiving in 2019. She and Larry were able to meet both of my kiddos and we all spent a few wonderful hours chatting, laughing, eating and catching up. It was a wonderful evening that ended too soon, just like our time with Cenny. We miss her so much but will always be thankful that we were able to spend as much time with her as we did. 

Cenny’s passing has left us all feeling a big loss. Larry and Cenny were a huge part of lives during the Egypt years and we’ve managed to stay in touch since, what with their globe-trotting life. We were constant companions in Alex and Cairo when our girls (Emily and Rena) were small. Cenny was the girls’ aunt in Egypt. She was their favorite. So many great memories. Our deepest condolences to Larry. Emily and I have tried to fill the gap in early 1990’s pictures that Rick mentioned.

-Linda and Jim Griffiths