Susie, Friend and Artist
I know! Susie…you go by the name, Susan Clark or Susan Edwards. This evening, the ‘handle’ matters not. I hope you don’t mind. I remember you as Susie Deal. If I went down to my drawer of momentos, I would find your class photograph. We exchanged those. At the moment, I write about a childhood friend. Oh! I guess we were more than children. Those were our highschool years, Great Falls, Montana…Charles M. Russell High School. I guess I must have written something about loss in your year book in 1972 because this was your response.
- 1972 Yearbook Signature
I am happy to see that you continued in your journey of art, as I did. Painting, then, always connected us. If I could/can not be with you through any of this, I have to pay tribute to your life and our teen years together, as you certainly were a beautiful part of all of that! Distance was able to separate us, but only physically. You have remained in my heart. As I read the various tributes that are being written about your life and what you contributed to the Helena region, I can only tell you how proud I am of you and your accomplishments and hope that is enough.
Thank you for sharing the laughter of our youth and for the many deep conversations…thank you for art room experiences that challenged our combined creativity and for sharing in the relationship that we enjoyed so much with Mr. Winniger. Thank you for your friendship! I will continue to keep you in my prayers and I will always celebrate your life, dear Susie!