Saturday, January 10, 2009

We'll always remember Babs

I just heard that a longtime online friend, Barbara Williamson Woods, has passed away. I know she had been battling cancer. We pray for the family and we send them our heartfelt condolences.

Let me tell you about Babs. It's quite a story. She was a member of one of my online groups, The Writer's Life. We didn't know she had cancer; in fact, she didn't know she had it herself until after she moved to Montana.

Let me also tell you the story of how she ended up there.

Of all the things in the world, she wanted to move back to her beloved mountains but she didn't know how to go about it herself.

My writing group members got together and found a way for her to get there. Someone donated money for the bus ride and once she got there, someone helped her get a computer. Don't ever estimate the love you have for online friends.

We'd hear from her now and then, but not very often. She would cough a lot when one of us would call her, so her lungs must have played into this somewhere. She was a smoker. I remember one time talking to her on the phone and she was so full of laughs, but coughed as I was coughing along with her. I'm a smoker, too. I've cut back my smoke intake to half, but still.

Babs had hopes and dreams and moving to Montana was what she wanted to do before she died. And she did it. Becoming a published author was her hope and dream. And she did it.

Unfortunately for us, it was time for her maker to take her back. We will miss you, Babs.

6 comments:

  1. I'm so sorry to hear this. It is a loss of a great writter I am sure.

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  2. It's just so so sad. She wanted two things - to be a published author and move to Montana. Let me tell you...this woman BY HERSELF traveled all the way across the country to go to a place she felt in her heart that was home. She knew no one out there. She was so brave, braver than a lot of us. Thanks, Patty...seems the good ones die young, no matter how old they are.

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  3. I'm glad that she did get to accomplish those two things she so wanted to do. Today I drove nearly 200 miles (round trip) to attend the memorial service of a friend from the church in the town Annie & I used to live in. He was one year younger than my Pat, to the day (George Washington's birthday, Feb 22.) I don't like going to funerals and it seems that the older I get, the more I have to go to. The only good thing about it was that is the town my older grand daughter lives in and I did get to take her to lunch while down there.

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  4. I'm so sorry to hear about this. I only chatted with Babs online, but she was sweet lady. My prayers go out to her family at this difficult time.

    Cheryl

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  5. I am sure that the spirit of Babs is touched by how her friends are remembering her.

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  6. I didn't know Babs, but I'm coming to know of her from all the people who miss her. She left a great legacy behind.

    Morgan Mandel
    http://morganmandel.blogspot.com
    http://www.morganmandel.com
    http://twitter.com/morganmandel

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