Dr. Elizabeth Davis
A Last Letter to my Dear Friend – LaVerle. LaVerle, you always made me feel so good no matter what the situation was! You were not only a true friend but a great guide and teacher; so patient, kind and understanding. There was never anything we could not talk about. You always remembered the little things I loved & appreciated. You always remembered the stories I would tell you right down to one Christmas giving me the little hand towel with the Cardinals on it – I look at it everyday. You had remembered the story I told you about when my own mother became ill and would spend hours looking out my windows in South Carolina watching the flocks of Cardinals at the edge of the forest. Besides being so thoughtful you had real intuition. You would call me and say, 'Go wash your pretty face, put on some make-up, look in that mirror, tell yourself how smart you are and you will feel much better.' I would follow your instructions and I always did feel better! I will miss those calls… LaVerle, no matter what you taught me, I don't think I ever was able to express in words what you meant to me. I wonder if you know how much I love & respect you! I do not know if you even knew you were on the dedication page of my dissertation. I do know when you would close our visits with telling me you loved me – you did. The things we think about when it too late to pick up the phone and say it in simple words. What a lesson! My friend, it is so hard to believe how many years have passed since we took courses together in school. It seems like yesterday when you came to Math class and said that Pam was ill down in Beeville. I said for you to just go take care of her, you were so smart I knew I could cover your classes for you & you would pass – anyway! How about that Religion class – we came out quoting John the Baptist! Remember when our English classes were beating us & you asked me if my brother Frances could help? You even saved his handwritten notes he mailed to you all these years… I know the two of you are up there having a grand ole time discussing Dante's Inferno! My dear friend, it will be very hard to think that you are no longer here. However; after seeing you in such peace – I know you are happy with your great reward for having lived such a life of extreme sacrifice – the best of Catholic Motherhood! You were always such a great fighter for a good cause – I really expected you to recover & then once again we could sit & visit like we did for nearly 40 years – just you & me, a good cup of your wonderful Louisiana coffee – or chat over a little take out from the local Chinese restaurant. I know we were more like family – true soul mates – pouring our hearts out, shedding tears at times, perhaps a roaring laugh and sometimes just not needing to say a word. It was always great for me, no matter whether I was in California, South Carolina or Russia – we were never more than a phone call away. LaVerle, I will always treasure those years we had together and especially those holidays you knew I would be by myself and you told me to join all of you, so I would not have to be alone. You understood what loneliness was all about and how much it hurt. We really did go through so much together – helping each other get through the difficult times. Always being a shoulder for each other – with our many trials, tribulations and thank God – some successes! We more than knew each other's families, having shared in countless visits, how we also tried to help them in their time of need and the secrets we shared. As a side note my good friend, I hope your family knows I love them also like my own family and it was always wonderful to know their progress over the years. I was honored to know all of your family. I remember when each of the grandchildren were born – it was so very special. It was so great getting to share those first visits and the many birthdays you planned. I do not believe I know another soul whose grandchildren meant more to them. Whenever my family would come to see me some how we would work in at least a little visit. The last tim