Mourning a friend

I found out a week ago that a high school girlfriend of mine had died. My Dad sent a link to her obituary.  I feel so sad that I didn’t know that she was even sick, she died of cancer. We sent each other Christmas cards for many years but stopped a few years ago. It was probably on my end, I haven’t been very good at getting them out in recent years.  Around that time a lot of people my age also got Facebook accounts and kept track of people more often that way. I still do not have an account of my own as my husband and I share his. It has always been mostly to keep in touch with immediate family. 

I wish I would have known that Ginny was so sick. I would have contacted her and prayed for her and let her know that I valued her friendship over the years. I know that she was a believer and that should give me comfort, but I feel I failed her as a friend.

The last time I saw Ginny was at a high school reunion, the twentieth I think. The “neighborhood” girls mostly came without their husbands as none were from the area and wouldn’t know anyone. We stayed at Ginny’s parents large townhouse that had beds for six or more. It was like a slumber party for 40 year olds and was very fun. We all still liked each other! Ginny was a fun person and had many girlfriends. She loved to sing and always participated in the school musicals but never landed one of the coveted lead parts and I remember that was a disappointment to her. Ginny was the president of a girl’s club called Z club I think and I participated in that with her. She was on the drill team that was such a big deal at our high school. She was just a normal girl and she had a pretty smile.

I was also acquainted with two of her girl cousins who lived just a couple houses away. I probably spent a lot more time with them but Ginny was definitely in my neighborhood group. I will always be grateful to them all for letting me in when I moved into the neighborhood in fifth grade. They had all lived there since early grade school. There were a whole bunch of girls my age within a few blocks, Lauren, Ginny, Ann, Carey, Sarah, Michaela, Margie, and Bronwyn. I Thank God for those girls who helped me feel accepted during those awkward, gangly, acne faced, junior high years. None of us were popular but we sure had a lot of fun at those crazy sleepovers and at the many football and basketball games we attended on into high school.

I never lived in Omaha again, after my college years in Kansas I moved out west. Ginny started college in Texas and then transferred back to finish at NU in Lincoln where she met and married her husband and then moved to S. Sioux City, Nebraska where he was from. Those Christmas cards I received told me the story of her two daughters being born and her teaching career with special needs children. I knew that she was very involved in her church and with local singing groups. I knew that  her husband became a judge and she was proud of him. I knew that she had become a grandmother in recent years too. I just didn’t know about her battle with cancer.

I am sorry Ginny for losing touch. My children should learn a lesson from me, keep in touch with your friends and tell them that you care.

Here is her obituary http://www.legacy.com/obituaries/omaha/obituary.aspx?n=virginia-slabaugh-rager-ginny&pid=163335517