(July 20, 1958 – May 26, 2020)

Books were the connection that gave me the gift of Nana’s friendship for 21 years until her death from metastatic breast cancer during the first wave of the pandemic. Through the close circle of friendship created in our 20+ years of book club, we shared the stories of raising our children, living through ups and downs of life, laughing a lot, and sometimes crying, too. Nana and I both loved the book on top of the pile in this photo—though it wasn’t most popular book in the group. That book points to great beauty in life even in the midst of hardship and even despair. Nana chose to see great beauty in life and in human beings. The love and care she showered on those around her stands timelessly in comparison to her life cut short.

Submitted by: Amanda Hiley, friend – Pelham