Lucy and Rickee (1949-2008)

My sweet, zany friend Rickee, trooper extraordinaire, lost her battle with lung cancer this weekend.

We, (my fellow co-workers, who love each other like sisters), are reeling. There is something quite surreal, about losing someone you love...particularly in those first few days without their earthly presence. How is it possible that we can still laugh??? How is it possible, that we will never laugh again with Rickee???

Rickee was a hoot. Warm, loving, energetic, uncomplaining, full of life and compliments, she loved to laugh and make us laugh. She was a great wife, Mom, sister and friend. She enjoyed her work and cared about her clients. She was a girl's girl, who adored clothes, jewelry, make up and a great score from T.J. Max. Rickee was avid about exercise and worked out daily. She was 120lbs on the outside, but 220lbs in her head...she loved good food, but liked her trim figure more, so she watched her calories (and every morsel of food at the table). Dinner time at Greenwich Hospital, her last whispered words to me were, "make sure they brought the lobster", (and where else but Greenwich Hospital would they be serving it)??? Classic Rickee!

Rickee was diagnosed with lung cancer last July. Her fortitude and optimism was magnificent. Through chemo, radiation and Gamma Knife surgery, she pushed through, working and smiling, amazing everyone around her.

Rickee had baby fine curly hair and was vane enough to know, it was not her best feature, (for sure her twinkling green eyes were). Obviously, one the most traumatic things about chemo, is hair loss. My friend Angela and I, went with Rickee to help her pick out wigs. We were all nervous, but Rickee was a sport and tried 3/4 of the wigs on display, just to amuse us. The best part was that her new do's looked fab! For the first time, Rickee had great hair and she was the first one to laugh about that.

Tomorrow we will say our goodbyes. We are honoring our girl, by dressing to the nines. Rickee would adore that. There will no doubt, be a huge crowd, because she was someone special. Rickee would adore that too...

Gone, but not forgotton. We will remember you, Rick, with love and laughter. You were a joy and we will miss you, always. Thank you for brightening our world.

xox,
Dd