She was a teacher, friend, mentor, sponsor and God only knows what else. I had good times being her occasional chauffeur. She helped finish making me an actual singer and the voice placement tips she taught me carried over to my speaking voice, helping me be able to lead workshops and become a more effective radio DJ.

We'd usually talk on the phone at least once a week, and finding out that I was living in the apartment building next to where she was rehabbing and later in hospice enabled me to share a lot of good times in her last days, swapping stories, reading to her and getting her to some of her favorite zoom sings, and occasionally bring her some batteries for her devices when they ran out when Charlie wasn't around.

She was one of my most important friends and she and Charlie never ceased to constantly amaze me in new ways until the end. She even managed to do more things to help the local folk community while being forced to spend her time confined to her bed than most of us could manage on our hind legs. She leaves a great big hole in a lot of our lives and will never be replaced but will live on in each of us through many different things that she taught to and shared with all of us that we can all share the bits that affected us to others as we go on through life. Those of us who knew her are much the better for it.