Sherry

2/19/09 In Loving Memory of Sherry Fries Kaplan

Loving & faithful wife, loving & caring mother,
loving & generous grandmother
astute businesswoman,“ spark” of Longreen,

How do you put into words the special relationship that comes from living next door to someone for 32 years----being concise is difficult when trying to encapsulate such a relationship. Those early years were shared with kids and all that encompasses; the middle years included her girls’ bat mitzvahs, weddings and eventually grandchildren. Then the “picking up the slack” phase (mail, garbage, paying each other’s bills was always Jerome’s joke) began as both families began to travel more, in part, because each of us had a child/children who moved out of state. Plus, Sherry loved cruises and Las Vegas.

The latter years were spent on one or the other’s patios, especially the summer following her pancreatic cancer diagnosis. She was amazing---for 2 ½ years during her final season of life, she did all the doctors prescribed and yet worked those treatments around really important “life” events----attending both grandsons’ bar mitzvahs and even taking them to Israel this past December---what a way to spend your last Hanukkah!

Her final weeks we spent in her den sharing memories—and the fellowship that comes when 2 people are on the same side of the cancer struggle. The final days were spent on the phone as she would call to check on me---what a gal!

The final goodbye came standing behind her wheelchair waiting on the EMTs to load her in the ambulance. I was stroking her hair and holding a pillow by her head for comfort as she answered, “Larry and Dotsy” to their question, “who do you see here” ----how grateful I am for that moment of coherence before they took her to the hospital for the final time.

I will continue to pray the prayer for Sherry’s family that she took to Israel for me to be put in the Western Wall/ Wailing Wall (thanks, Jerome)---it’s from the prophet, Isaiah.
Look unto me and be saved, all the ends of the earth;
For I am God and there is no other.

You will be sorely missed, my friend.