Laurie, with her daughter, Halee |
Last week, our community was devastated. Laurie Kohmetscher, whom I have worked, laughed, cried, and griped with for 21 years, passed away suddenly. She was a mother to Kristin, Shane, and Halee Jo, a wife to Duane, a sister to Bob, Ron, Tom, Steve, Ellen, and Pat, and a daughter to Rose. She was an avid horse woman, and loved nothing better than being outside with her animals and working on their family farm. She volunteered for many community and church groups. She was a 4H leader, County Fair Board member, and most of all, she LOVED her children. They were her everything, and she was PROUD of them.
I am lost, wading my way back to shore. Learning to do the work tasks she did and coping with the grief, I have been exhausted. But each day is easing a little. As Dori in "Finding Nemo" said, "Just keep swimming, swimming, swimming". I will eventually reach the shore, but will be adrift at the loss of my friend and coworker for a very long time.