R.I.P. Betsy

Mortality thrust itself very rudely into my family’s life yesterday.  I had barely walked in the house from work when I received a telephone call from the cousin that is kind of in charge of the extended family descended from my father’s side.  She was calling to inform me of the passing of one of the other cousins.  I’ve written before about the extremely special bond the brothers and sisters of my father share, which was passed down with varying degrees of success to my generation.  I’m the son of the youngest and Betsy was the oldest of his older brother.  She was only 11 years older than I am so the passing was sudden and completely uncalled for.  She was married to a career US Marine and had just settled into their dream home in South Carolina a few years ago.  She was on vacation with her family in the Caribbean when she got up in the middle of the night and unexpectedly walked out of the house.  When she didn’t return they went out looking for her and found her collapsed and beyond revival.  I’m starting to see some tributes appearing on Facebook and it is clear that this is a devastating blow to her brothers and sisters.  They are an extremely close knit group who spend every Christmas together and my heart is with them today.  Betsy was always one of the older cousins already headed out into life when I was just coming of age to remember things. We were fortunate enough in one of my assignments to the Pentagon that we lived only a couple miles apart.  We hadn’t seen in each other in decades but when I walked through her door I immediately felt welcomed and with family.  She was a lifelong educator and took an immediate interest in my kids and offered some great advice for my daughter.  Tangentially she is responsible for my daughter attending Boston University because she told me not to be scared off by cost; that it would be worth it and she was right.  I think one of the best compliments anyone can receive is that they cared.  Well, Betsy cared, about everybody she came in contact with.  The world is diminished today.  A very gentle soul has departed, too early, and we’ll all be poorer for her passing.  Please send out your prayers to her family who have to deal with this unexpected loss.  I hope she found what she was seeking on that last walk.