Remembering Doris

Today I am be celebrating a very special life. My dear friend. Doris, died the other day. Her funeral service was Wednasday, and I have been recalling the wonder of her life and the wonderful times we shared.

I met Doris when her son, Eric, took SCUBA lessons from me back about 1981. He then worked with me at the dive school and I got to know the whole family. I was living in a duplex in Gulfport Fl and I took a group of divers over to West Palm to do a drift dive. When we got back we we went to their house and cleaned and sorted the gear and I headed home. It had been a long and tiring day and I was anxious to get to bed. I got two blocks from the house when I was stopped because there was a house fire and the streets were blocked. I parked in a neighbor’s yard and walked up to find, it was the house I lived in that was on fire. When the fire was out there was very little left and I found out the fire had started in the other half of the duplex. That night and the next I spent in my van in the back yard. The Red Cross gave me money to buy new clothes and food. They were a blessing but the best blessing came next. Doris, Eric, Mark, and Janine invited me to stay at their house until I could get resettled. I ended staying a month or so, and because of their generosity, had time to find a house to buy. I still live in that house.

Over the years Doris and I became close friends, as her kids moved out and started their own families. We maintained our friendship over the years, even as we moved in and out of personal relationships. We would go to a movie every so often. She helped me chaperone a bunch of students on a Keys trip over Christmas one year. One summer we went to Europe together, and after the tour part, she spent a week with the family of the two brothers she hosted as Exchange Students, and where Eric went, as an Exchange Student, in Saarbrucken. I spent that week with my daughter and her Mom, near by in Germany.

When I found out she had breast cancer, we had lunch regularly together. After she went through surgery and two series of both chemotherapy and radiation she was cured. But it took a toll. She was my motivation to participate in the Susan Komen run/walk for the last two years, and to add a breast health section to my online bridal store, Bay Bridal Shop. When she felt good enough we met at a restaurant for lunch, and when she was tired I brought lunch with me. We had wonderful talks and watched Opra and read Ekart Tolle’s book, and discussed it. With Doris I could relax and share what ever came to mind and she did too.

Doris was an elementary school math teacher. When her students got to high school they always told me how much they had learned from her and how they loved her. She blessed every student who was lucky enough to pass through her classroom.

Doris was a blessing to so many people, as a teacher, and a wonderful Mother, and the best, ‘Best Friend’. Thank you, Doris.