To Magnificent Francine

December 2, 2020 Dearest Francine, I am so sorry that I did not tell you on Sunday how much your friendship has meant to me over these past 34 years; it did not occur to me that it was going to be the last time I would get to see your beautiful face. You are such a loving, kind, generous, smart, honorable, beautiful and humble woman! Your, Alan’s and Jonathan’s participation in all our family holidays and celebrations and your company on numerous vacations has added so much joy to our lives. I cannot imagine the future without you and am saddened to know that this is imminent. What profound words can I say? Nothing can fully communicate the quiet comfort and beauty of your loving presence. You have always been so content to just be part of things, never requiring attention or the limelight, lest you take it from someone else. You have always been so proud of your family, your students and your colleagues; always singing their praises and always minimizing your own role in others’ successes and accomplishments. You have always made everyone around you feel special and loved. You are very much like Rita Snay that way; providing unconditional love and acceptance to those fortunate enough to know you. No one will ever be able to fill the void that you will leave in our lives. It is an especially terrible loss to your wonderful sons, Jonathan and Jimmy, but especially to Jonathan; with whom you have had such a close and loving relationship. Pat and I are both so glad that he can be by your side these last weeks. We know his heart must be breaking although he, like you, possesses a quiet strength and calmness that gives comfort to all those around you and him. You must be so happy to know that your son is so deft at coordinating everything for you and helping all of us who love you to deal with this saddest of times. He really is a remarkable young man! Fran, you have been a dear friend and I only hope that I gave back to you one tenth of the love and respect that that you have always shown me. I must admit that Pat and I have often laughed about you and Alan being so meticulous that you would always prepare a ‘rehearsal dinner’ before any actual dinner where you were serving something you had not previously prepared. I now realize that you did this because you and he cared so much about everyone enjoying themselves that you wanted to leave nothing to chance! You are truly extraordinary! I am so glad that you and Alan were able to join Pat and me on our 2017 European Summer Vacation; we had the best time ever and know you and Alan did, too, as we traversed across Italy, Spain and France; eating delicious meals and shopping ‘til we dropped! I will post photos from that wonderful time on the website Jonny set up and hope you get to see them one last time. I am also so sad that our Spring 2020 Caribbean Cruise was cancelled due to COVID-19 as I know we would have had a wonderful time together…again! Fran, I don’t think you believe in Heaven or Hell but I do and there is no doubt that you will be taking the Express Elevator right up to Heaven, where God will greet you in all His Glory and welcome you to nothing but joy and happiness forevermore because you have always been such a good soul. Believing this with all my heart, I am comforted to think that I will see you again someday (assuming I, too, get into Heaven) and that this farewell is not forever. May your final days be filled with peace, love and the contentedness of knowing that your dedication to making the lives of all those around you better than they would have been otherwise has not gone unnoticed. You have surely left the world a better place and you will be sorely missed for the rest of our lives. With great love and admiration, Bentonne