Last night at 7:20p.m. Joanie left us. Happily she was peaceful, and in no pain. Her last words were "It is time to pack it in." There has been a little guardian angel sitting on the table beside her for all these four years and now that little angel is in charge. It has been raining here for three days, and perhaps it was St. Peter, who I am told is in charge of weather, was weeping for her. The night before she died, Katherine and I stayed beside her, and she awakened once, and gave us a playful impish smile. I had never seen that before. Then, when she pulled me to her chest and tousled my hair for about five minutes, I knew a Joanie I had never known before. That strong Lutherism that had so held her in all her life let go, and a new depth of sweetness emerged. Miraculously, in a period of just a few minutes this morning her Memorial Service has been arranged for 12:30 p.m. , May 30 at the Harvard Memorial Church. The Reverend Peter Gomes will lead the service. There will be music, joy, and laughter, for "one must be ready to laugh while one is obliged to weep." We will then all have a feast, for a feast will surely honor her. For those who wish to honor her memory, I can think of nothing better than the fight against pancreatic cancer. I do not want the gifts to go to "administrative costs" so urge you to send whatever you wish to that superlative oncologist who managed to give her four years of life, Dr. John Erban, who will know best where the gifts should go. The address: MGH Cancer Center, Attention John Erban, MD, Gillette Center, Yawkey 9A, 55 Fruit Street, Boston, MA 02114. To all of you who have known and loved her, I send my own love. May your lives be long and happy , as was ours. Bob
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