thewayne | Well, I lied. I told some LJers recently that we got through the year with no family/friend deaths.

Fortunately it's not family. We got a call from Russet's mother today and the woman who played piano at our wedding, Ann White, passed away apparently earlier this week. Ann was Russet's piano teacher from the 4th grade and I believe she also taught music to all Russet's siblings. She lived in Oberlin for at least the last 30 years. I met her on three occasions: the time surrounding the wedding, the time surrounding the death of Russet's father (far too soon after the wedding, but we knew that was going to be the way it was), and last May when we came back from Blingfest and spent a few days with her mom in Oberlin. Russet went and saw her when she was in Oberlin in September. She was a really nice woman, and she blew my mind when she sent us an anniversary card last June!(compounded by including a photo of Russ when she was in the 4th grade, IIRC) I have been known to give wedding anniversary cards to friends on occasion, especially my friends Terry & Deb in Omaha as I was Terry's Best Man. I would have never expected one from Ann.

She was quite a woman. I will definitely miss her