This Eulogy will be read by Garden Keeper Denise at Lady Starlite's Memorial Service as well as the poem below which was written by Lady Starlite.

I’ve known Connie a very short time compared to the rest of you, but I want to share the very special experience I’ve had being her friend.

I first met Connie two years ago through an online group called the Garden of Friendship. Online she is known as Lady Starlite, and is admired by everyone for her computer knowledge and talent, which she freely shared with anyone seeking help.

She has been a valuable member of the Garden since September 2000.  I joined the Garden in October of that same year and became acquainted with Connie right away.  I don’t remember exactly how we first met but I remember having great conversations with her about all sorts of things.

We did a lot of just joking around but we also got serious sometimes, and she taught me a lot about making graphics and web pages.  We even played cribbage sometimes.  She swore she would beat the pants off me, but I think we pretty much came out about even.  I know she wasn’t very happy with me when I skunked her the first time we played.  

When Bob and Connie first planned to move back to Washington, and she mentioned it to me, we realized that she wouldn’t be very far from me.  We started planning to get together just as soon as she was moved and settled.  She told me to be sure my coffee pot was working because as soon as she was unpacked, she’d be down to visit me.

Well, after they moved, the next thing I heard from Connie was that she had been diagnosed with cancer and she probably wouldn’t be able to make it to Astoria.  Shortly after that, I made arrangements to come up here and meet her.  That was the start of the most wonderful friendship I have ever had.

Right away, we formed a close bond that is hard to explain, but is definitely there.  Whether it had to do with Connie’s illness, I don’t know, but there were several times that I had clear messages that I needed to contact her, and when I did, she was either having a bad day or was feeling depressed and wanted to talk.  The last time that happened was the day before she passed away.

I had been up here the day before that and she was feeling pretty bad.  That next morning I was at work and started feeling like I should call.  I really felt that when I made the call, I would find that she was gone.  I went home from work and called.

I was surprised to hear that she was up and I could talk to her.  We talked for a few minutes and then I needed to go back to work.  If I had waited to call later when I would normally have gone home, I would have missed the opportunity to have that last conversation with her.  A couple of hours later, the nurse increased her medication and from then on, she mostly slept.  I am so thankful I made that call when I did.

Connie is the most beautiful person I have ever known.  I don’t know what it was that made our friendship so special, but we both felt it.  We would talk for hours and still feel like we needed more time.  We shared experiences, thoughts, just about anything you can think of.  Several times we talked about how we probably had gotten to know each other better than we had any other friend in our lives, and in such a short time.

The days I came to visit her went by so fast.  I hated to leave and I couldn’t wait to come back again.   I know Bob must have thought we were crazy when we’d spend a whole day talking and then the next day, we’d be on the phone talking again.  He kept offering to rent me a room.

I am going to miss Connie tremendously, but I know that she will always be with me.  She has given me so much and she will be a part of my life forever.  This poem she wrote is dedicated to her family and her friends.

Denise has created a page surrounding the poem.  Please click here to view it.
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I Gave You My Love