Thursday, August 17, 2006

August 11


My hero

My hero, Connie Lister.

Connie was one of my supervisors at the community college where I work. The woman was a walking stand up show. Wherever she went, we laughed.

Several months ago, Connie went to the doctor. She had been coughing and feeling "puny" for some time, and thought that she had bronchitis that just would not go away.

:(

Can we say lung cancer, boys and girls? crap. Not what we wanted to hear, and definitely not what Connie wanted.

She started her chemo, and it was a good report then a bad one, then a good one, then a bad one. Up and down, up and down. Finally, it simply got to where she could not work.

This picture was made on August 11, 2006 at a "Celebration of Life" party her children had for her at the Basic Skills Building where we work. She is a huge Jimmy Buffett fan (she intended on leaving hospice one night to make his local concert -- 2 hours away), so it was a tropical theme going.

Education was a very important thing to Connie. She loved the students and would always encourage them. As a result, it was announced at her party that a scholarship had been created in her name and would provide at least one (maybe two) annual scholarships to Haywood Community College, for a Basic Skills Graduate (Adult High School or GED), in Connie's name. There wasn't a dry eye in the place. The children also announced that any money from Connie's estate would go to the scholarship instead of them.

Connie, You are and will always be an inspiration to me. I loved the time I wasted (on the clock, no less) while we swapped family stories and laughed until we cried. Your outlook on life always cheered me up, and your sense of humor is one that will never be matched or even rivaled. I could always count on you to be honest about what I was doing, in life and in the classroom. And thanks for all the "pregnant advice" you offered and for all the times you kept me calm when I thought I was approaching a crisis.

I love you.

3 comments:

joe.lister said...

Mom,
I will miss you so much. You have always been a very loving woman who showed me what it meant to love so many.
I love you so much.

Anonymous said...

Mom,
Once you more you have proven how what it takes to be a great teacher. For even in death you have once again taught us all a lesson. That god loves us all and showed it through you.

Anonymous said...

Connie was an amazing woman as this blog attests, and she was an amazing mother-in-law as well. I am torn between the wonder of the five years I was allowed to call her mother yet overcome by how short five years was...I wanted so much more.

For anyone else who reads this blog, Connie enjoyed the retirement party mentioned with the picture more than words can say. However, just ten days later on August 21, she lost her battle with cancer. Connie passed away that Monday evening. She will continue to be an inspiration and blessing to all who knew her and so many more.
Connie, we love you!