Death of a friend

Not long after my father was transferred to Louisville in the early 1970s, my mother "returned to the workforce" (as the saying went). I was but a lad--I was in sixth grade at the time--and knew little of the whys then, nor of where the story arc would lead.

Whether conscious of it or not, Mom's return to the working world became a step toward the eventual formal breakup of my parents' marriage. This was a good thing (tm).

Anyway, one of Mom's first supervisors was Kay Armstrong. As Mom's surname at the time was also Armstrong, an alliance was, not surprisingly, formed. It became a solid strong friendship, and one that helped both over the ensuing years. Their customers would sometimes ask whether they were related, as they shared the surname. Their friendship was a source of emotional support for my mother before, during, and after the divorce from my father.

I have been a beneficiary of the good that emanated from Kay, both directly and indirectly. She and her husband were both very good to me over the years. I cannot possibly repay them. I can only hope that the good I try to do "pays it forward" in some small way.

Kay and my mother shared many bonds of friendship, one of which was that both had survived forms of cancer. Yeah, the "big C."

Kay passed away Monday. It was pretty sudden for all involved. The best part is that she did not seem to suffer. Sometimes "best possible outcomes" are still unhappy ones.