Saturday, July 29, 2023
Elizabeth and I met in a hallway on our first day of classes at UNB, both of us scrambling to find the right room. Were we late? Most definitely. What followed was the beginning of a friendship that I still hold dear in my heart. In second year, we moved into an apartment on Charlotte Street in Fredericton. She warned me that she wasn't much of a cook but that evolved. I remember coming home after a cold Autumn outdoor lab to the amazing smell of roast chicken - who knew that a whole chicken could be Shake'N'Baked with such success. That Elizabeth was talented and enterprising goes without saying for anyone who knew her. She sowed love, laughter and her talents freely. She called me to tell me she had met someone. She called me to tell me she was expecting a baby. I called her to see how she was feeling, only to have her tell me that she had delivered beautiful Eileen, sounding like it had been the easiest thing. She sat with me all night when my mother fell ill tragically. She asked me to stand with her ... Randy's only request to get her to the church on time, which we managed in the pea-green Mercedes. I asked her to stand with me ... my husband's request ... to get me to the church on time. I called her to tell that I was expecting ny own daughter. And I would give anything to be able to talk with her again. To tell how loved she is. How empty the world is without her but how heaven is now more beautiful.
To Randy, Eileen, Marilyn, Dr. Michael, Catherine, Michael and all those who are grieving Elizabeth's passing, I hope you find solace in your memories and comfort in each other in the days ahead. Sending you love, Debbie.
