Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Linda Lucille Reed Evatt - R.I.P.

Last week, Linda,  my oldest and best friend died.  We had known each other literally all our lives.  Our parents were friends. We went all through school together, kindergarten, elementary school, Junior High, High School and College.  As children, we attended tap and ballet classes.  The summer after the sixth grade, we attended Camp Joyzelle for six weeks.  I hated it, she loved it. That was one of the few things we disagreed about.

Both of our fathers were doctors and our mothers were nurses. When her father died, she spent a few days at my house and she spent time with me when mine died.  When my mother had cancer and was undergoing radiation therapy, we were away at college, so her mother asked mine to come and stay with her so she could nurse my mom. 

I introduced her to her future husband, and they were married exactly one week after my husband and I were.  We even married men with the same first name. After that, when we spoke, it was "my Don or your Don."

Her husband went into the Air Force right out of college, and was stationed for a time at the Pentagon, and she found a job there, too, working with some of the first computers. Room-sized ones.  She was 'way smarter than I was - brilliant, in fact.  For that matter, so was her husband. When he got out of the Air Force, they moved to Conway, where he was a CPA, and she worked with him as his secretary/receptionist

 After she had been married for several years, she was finally told by her doctors that, due to being hit by a car when she was very young, breaking her pelvis, she would probably never have children.  So, she and her husband decided to adopt.  They waited a long time, and then one day, when she got home from seeing her doctor and getting the happy news that she was pregnant, the agency called that she and Don could pick up their adoptive baby the next day.  She told the woman at the agency that she had just found out she was pregnant, and after a lot of thought, they decided to pass on the adoption.  The agency said they would keep her name at the top of the list until she was sure nothing was going to happen with her pregnancy. 

Her son, Bob, was born and grew up to be a very talented writer, and he was smarter than me, too.  He was the most curious boy I have ever met - full of questions. He was so smart that he frightened his teachers, and
they couldn't keep him from getting bored.  But, he came into his own when he was able to spend six months at Oxford University. 

He is now happily married, and working for the Tulsa World. 

Linda had a long and interesting life, and we shared all of her adventures, hopes, fears, sadness and happiness with each other, through long letters, phone calls, and, finally e-mails. After her husband died, she made a new life for herself, and became a licensed genealogist. As with everything else she attempted, she was very successful at it. She even got me interested in it, although I will never have the patience she had, or the interest in all that research.

As you might imagine, I have been taking a long, long trip down memory lane for the past week. It's going to take me a long time to get used to having such a big hole in my life. In other words I'm feeling pretty sorry for myself. And, I keep asking myself, "Now, who am I going to talk to?" 

I'll miss her.

Stay tuned.

14 comments:

Olga said...

Betty, I am so very sorry. The loss of a good friend does leave a hole and an ache.
You probably know I am going to say this: you will still be able to talk to her and she will listen.

Meryl Baer said...

Thoughts and prayers are with you. I am so very sorry I know you will miss her deeply, but she will be with you everyday.

lucylocket said...

One of the worst parts of growing old for me is losing those closest to me. When my younger brother died a few years ago, I realized that I no longer have anyone to say to, "Do you remember when. . .?" I miss that.

You are so fortunate to have had such a close friend. I am very sorry for you loss.

Word Tosser said...

So sorry Betty, for the lost of your friend... My uncle use to have a saying.. Thank God you can pick your friends...because you are stuck with your relatives.... but I also heard one better.. Friends are the family YOU get to pick ...like everyone says.. she will will still be there to listen..just she can't talk to you anymore.. and that emptiness hurts. Hugs,

Arkansas Patti said...

I am so very sorry that you lost such a special person. As much family as friend. I lost such a friend not too long ago and when something cool or even something troubling happens, I want to share with her and get her input. It is reflexive. Instead, I look up and tell her how much I miss her. With time, I have been able to smile when I say it. I am positive she hears.

Peggy said...

I am sorry your friend is gone. Deepest sympathies dear Betty.

Betty said...

Thank you all for your expressions of sympathy. I'll miss her.

patsy said...

i never had A close friends but i do have one in my sister Fleta I talk to her most days on the phone and CANN'T IMAGINE MY LIFE WITH OUT HER.

Betty said...

Patsy: I was an only child, so she was my "sister,".

oklhdan said...

So,so sorry for your loss! I know
First hand the hole it leaves in your heart!

Sister--Helen said...

I have 1 friend like that...I hope I die before her...very selfish of me

Galla Creek said...

So sorry to hear of the loss of your special friend. I only have the Sisters.

Galla Creek said...

I was thinking...Betty, I hope you can find something or someone to fill this void. A part of me will go with the loss of each of my Sisters...I have lost one. I dread losing any of the others.

savannah said...

You have my heart, sugar. *hugs* I know this sorrow. xoxoxo