A very close friend of my mothers passed away last night. Mom has known Clare Jouett since 1957, when they worked together as civilian employees of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego. They were both dedicated, hard working women in a very masculine world. Yet they got along well with the Marines on the base, and soon formed a close friendship that survived for nearly as many years as I've been alive, even after retirement saw them go their seperate ways.
Very few of us can ever hope to make a lasting effect on the world in our lifetimes. I think the finest legacy people like us can leave behind is that we made a difference in our world, among those we know. Clare leaves us with that sort of legacy.
She enriched my mother's life with true friendship. When I was a child, she gave me a large, pinkish, stuffed poodle, which I still have safely stored away. At a time when I couldn't hope to have a live pet, that poodle fostered in me a love for animals that continues to this day. That appreciation for other living things is a part of my personality that brings me much joy, and I have Clare to thank for awakening it in me.
So this is my celebration of a life well lived. Clare, I do not pretend to know where you are bound from here, but I do know for a fact that the time you spent with us is deeply and forever appreciated. You left our world a better place by sharing it with us. Thank you, Clare.
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