A Fond Farewell
August 24th, 2007 by Wyatt
As many of you know, Stefanie’s mother, Cari Orr, had been diagnosed with terminal lung cancer in April. As her health slowly degraded, she moved to a nursing home on our side of town. She was there for about two months as the disease and other complications slowed her down considerably. We were able to visit her virtually every day and knew she was getting the best of care. Even so, Cari passed away early on the morning of Wednesday, August 22. We don’t have all the plans made, yet, but we wanted everyone to know what had happened.
Oddly enough, I have known Cari longer than I’ve known Stefanie. She was working as an admin at West Linn High School while I was a student there. She was always very warm and helpful when I had to interact with her then. A few years later, when Stefanie and I were preparing to get married, she and Stef’s dad, Jack, were very supportive during our somewhat bumpy ride from engagement to our wedding date. She even made Stefanie’s wedding dress and did quite a bit to make it the special day it was for us both.
As the years have passed, she loved visiting with us and David. She was very proud of her children and, especially, her grandchildren. She was equally proud of how her mother brought Cari and her sister from meager beginnings to living a full life. Cari never lost her passion for strongly-held opinions. I enjoyed the occasional verbal jousting with her when the topics would range through politics, social issues, and our faith. There was never any question, though, that she loved us all.
Cari will not be forgotten as her legacy lives on in her children and grandchildren. Something that, I think, she’d be very happy to know.