Radical Betty, 1922 – 2009
My beloved aunt and one of my best friends in life died peacefully at 2:00 AM today with her daughter, known here as Uber Kayak Woman, by her side. I sincerely apologize if anyone in the family is learning this for the first time here. My hope is that everyone has been notified by a family member by now. More later…
…or not. I am fine. Really. I just can’t put two thoughts together into anything coherent. Please comment with memories of Betty. Or if you are shy about commenting, you can email them to me privately, link over there on the right. Photos would be great too. I am sitting here in the landfill in my favorite seat sorting through iPhoto and drinking a glass of red wine in honor of Betty. On the road tomorrow with Mouse and a special passenger coming in from the left coast @ 0-dark-30. Cheers!
September 2nd, 2009 at 12:10 pm
RIP beloved Betty. Your footsteps are etched forever on the beach. You leave us the knowledge of so many things, including the amethyst rock. We miss you.
September 2nd, 2009 at 3:08 pm
We will miss you Betty. Your zest for life and humor will always be with us and part of us. Your life was truly lived. Somewhere Bears is pocketing a cork in your honor.
September 2nd, 2009 at 7:31 pm
I’ll miss Betty an awful lot. I was only up north once this summer, in late June, and stopped by see her then.
The last thing she said to me as I left was ‘I hate this shit.’ I love that!
September 2nd, 2009 at 8:35 pm
So sorry about your loss!!
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:09 pm
Aunt Betty lovable wrinkly friendly face, teethy wide smile,the sun shining from her eyes, invites you to sit upto the kitchen table by a big window and meet “Bears” the big stuffed Teddy Bear who had the collection of corks of the century. Betty impressed me most of all the relatives I met when I brought Julia at about age 11 to Sault Ste. Marie to visit Anne’s parents. I’ve never forgotten her slim trim figure and lively friendliness, we went for a walk in the water for exercise up there by the mouth of the St. Mary’s River. God bless your family Anne and Bill, condolences from Randy and Elizabetsy.
September 2nd, 2009 at 9:21 pm
I am so sorry.
September 3rd, 2009 at 2:55 pm
I’ll never forget the first time I met her. back around 1980 or so (can’t believe it was so long ago). We went cross country skiing. We were killing ourselves to keep up with Betty. She made it look so easy.
September 3rd, 2009 at 3:15 pm
Oh, dear, I’m so sorry to hear this! She sounds like she was quite a character.
September 3rd, 2009 at 5:41 pm
With a name like Radical Betty, you know it’s gotta be good. I’m sure I met her at your wedding, but I haven’t been up there since. I read your blog, and have heard so much about her that I miss her already. Tell UKW I am so sorry too. Great moms are hard to find sometimes, and exceptionally great ones are rare. Make a nice frame for her cork collection, maybe out of driftwood, add a few more in her honor…. she would like that. I’m glad Mouse and Lizard had an influence like that in their lives. I hope I grow old enough to go out with a bang like that.
Love knows not it’s own depths, until the moment of separation.
May 23rd, 2010 at 6:07 pm
[…] from a month of hiking the Camino in Spain. They undertook this pilgrimage in honor of her mother Radical Betty, who died late last August. Her description of their trip is below the line. The photos were taken […]