Ann

I wondered about life today as a wonderful woman, Ann Yaeger, was laid to rest. My friend Liz's mother was one of those people that everybody wanted to be around. There was a lot of talk about how she was really more like a friend or a sibling to others rather than a mother or a teacher. She always had a smile on her face and somehow always turned the conversation away from her, back to you, wanting to know more and more about everybody in her life. It was joyous to hear all of the stories about how this Arizona native grew up, made life-long friends, cruised Central Ave as a teen, using the old Bob's Big Boy on Thomas as a base, meeting her husband-to-be, Tom, on one of those nights. We heard about the Phoenix College days (nicknamed F.K.), then ASU, the sorority times, the amazing Liz and Isabel, all the trips to San Diego and Mexico. I'll remember all the birthday parties, the baby showers, the scariest house on the street at Halloween house, the Christmas Eve tamales and the handwritten Christmas card we received every year. Ann had a tradition of putting confetti in greeting cards, spreading her joy of life and cheer all around. Today, at the tearful memorial at All Saint's and then at the celebration back in her beautiful back yard with yellow tablecloths and flowers and pictures of Ann all around, surrounded by friends old and young, plus so many of mine that I haven't see enough of lately, the celebration continued and it seemed that she was there, as well. As we left, I took a beautifully wrapped present full of confetti from the basket, holding mine tight.