To Greg's children and family -
I hadn't heard from Greg in too long, so began to look for him tonight. I was heartbroken to discover that he had passed away. He and I had talked about this very thing - how would one of us know if the other died? It seems it can't be true.
He was my friend, and my love since we were 15 and 16 years old. We stayed in touch for over 40 years, sharing our life stories as they unfolded before us.
His death is brand new to me tonight, and I am so very sad. I keep thinking about him and myself as teenagers. We would meet at the park near the apartment he shared with his mom and Chris. Baggy jeans, coveralls, guitars over our shoulders. We could never quite make it work, but our love was sincere and precious. He gave me the most wonderful 16th birthday celebration. We dressed up, and he cooked me dinner at his house. Steak, baked potato, cake with 16 candles. Even then he loved cooking. When he returned from Europe after high school, he was excited to serve me a fried egg sandwich with mayonnaise and peanut butter!
We lived together in Hadlock, Washington for a time. We tried twice to make it work. I eventually returned to California. But for a time, it was wonderful. We were children. Your dad worked and I stayed home with the animals. He and I rescued River from a large, doomed liter of pups. His puppy eyes were still closed when we brought him home. We fed him from a bottle and kept him in bed with us. I left River with Greg when I left Washington. River lived 15 years and I got to hear all about him up until he died.
So many memories of us growing up in the 60's!
I wish I could meet you all. I think you would enjoy knowing what your dad was like. He wanted to be a journalist and a war correspondent when he was a senior in high school. He was soft spoken, sweet, kind, sensitive. He once spent an evening with friends in the woods, then sneaked into my room late that night. By the next day he and I were covered in poison oak. We missed school for over a week, had to take prednisone shots, and sit in a tub of baking soda water for relief. I give him a disastrous hair cut before his court date. I thought he would never speak to me again! Ah, that bit of temper! We saw Earth, Wind, and Fire at the Fillmore Auditorium in SF. He and I took long drives in his little sport car through the Redwoods on our way to San Gregorio Beach. He was my friend and my love. I will be missing him along with all of you. I have some pictures I would like to share with you. I would like to send along copies. If any of you would like that I can be reached at (925)817-9392. Or email me at Ardynne123@gmail.com.
Love to you all. Karen
