Dear Family, Friends, and Diary,
In the two dozen years of these diaries, they have generally covered highlights. Today's is more somber.
Marianne has a coterie of girlfriends from the old days, the really old days when they were all young students and novice teachers. Over the decades, they have stayed connected, a California touchstone as lives moved on from those early days. There were marriages, a divorce or two, kids born and then, shortly, off to kindergarten and college. More marriages and resulting grandkids. A good parade.
This month a shadow came across the friends' parade.
Peter Prindle, Rita's husband of four-plus decades, passed away at the far-too-early age of 71. On Sunday, we joined in a memorial at the Santa Cruz Yacht Club, celebrating Pete's memory.
Family and a half-century of friends shared stories and feelings for a husband and partner, a friend, father, school councilor, businessman, and civic leader.
The stories were of a man who had loyal friends, a few of whom told stories of high school antics and decades of celebrating Pete's birthday with a tradition of Pete-made drinks, Rita-made lasagna, and a parade of bawdy cards from friends. Family memories were filled with love, humor, and his gentle direction of the Prindle clan. Many stories included mention of Pete's fondness for travel. (I remember when he, Rita, and friend Dave met up with us in Budapest, 15 years ago.)
He will be missed by everyone, Rita most especially.
Marianne and John