What I said at my sister's memorial service

Tina was my sister and my best friend. We talked or emailed every day. We always had fun together, especially on road trips.

Tina didn't know a stranger. Everyone became a friend if not adopted into our family. You were all family to Tina.

She was the most kind, loving and generous person I have ever known. I often said I want to be more like her. If there are lessons in all of this, some of them are probably simplify, take better care of ourselves, tell those we love every chance we get, and check frequently on anyone you know lives alone.

We always said, "I love you" to each other at the end of phone calls, emails, and in person. I'm thankful those were the last words we said to each other. I know where she is now and that I will see her again someday.

You will notice a collection of her pigs from the almost 20 years working at APD on a table out here. There are also some other items she collected. Please take them as a memento if you want.

Thank you all for your support and prayers for our family through this time, and for being such dear friends to Tina.

Afterward:
In talking with a couple after the service (I took some photos at their wedding a few years ago when I went with Tina), I realize I should have added that some of them knew me as Tina’s date because she asked me many times to go to events with her because we had so much fun together.