Remembrance of Sandy Price by Jeff Price

What a difference a year can make.

Just over a year ago I was planning a final trip to visit to my parents in Thoiry before they wrapped up their stay in France. In an effort to give a focus to her travels and become more acquainted with her temporarily adopted home, my mother set a goal to visit all of the departments that make up mainland France that she had not yet been to. She had been quite successful and had gotten to all but ten of the ninety four and the plan for my visit was to try to finish up the set. Sadly, as we were settling on the details she was diagnosed with this horrible disease and rather than exploring the dark corners of France we would be visiting doctors and preparing the house for a rapid departure so my mother could get home and begin treatment.

A lot of the past year consisted of doctors, hospitals stays, medical procedures and coming to terms with the implications of the disease, but there were many happy times as well.

My parents celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary last Thanksgiving with many of us here today. We had a nice Christmas with our extended family in Oregon. Her son, my brother, got married and fulfilled a long standing desire of my mother's, that she was not shy about telling us about, often, to have a grandchild. And, of course, the great outpouring of support we have received from friends and family through this difficult time.

Assured from the beginning that it was only a matter of time before the disease would take her from us, these events and gatherings gave me opportunities to reflect on the many facets of my mother and the ways she affected the people around her.

I think a good summation would be - my mother liked to talk - to practically anyone, in any context. I didn't appreciate this much as a teenager as she liked to have long phone conversations with my friends when they called to talk to me - much to my embarrassment. But, with time you come to see things differently, and in retrospect it clearly was her desire and ability to connect with people that made her so effective as an educator, so integral to any community she participated in, and so loved by all of us who were lucky enough to know her.

She had a great love of both knowledge and children and combined these passions throughout her career in religious education and teaching high school. I have met few teachers as dedicated to her students as she was. She expected great things from her students and was willing to do whatever it took to make sure they had the chance to succeed. On several occasions she went as far as inviting students to our house to take makeup tests when no workable time at school could be found. This was normal for her, not an exception. I have many friends and acquaintances that were lucky enough to have had my mother as a teacher. When they make the connection that I am her son they always light up and say how great of a teacher she was, even the ones who didn't pass her class.

Of course her passion for children extended to my brother and me. She gave us a nurturing childhood filled with adventures, learning, and as much culture as we would tolerate.

As a child I had a fascination with machinery and had to know how everything worked. When I was about ten years old, I found a discarded garage door opener and wanted to take it home to take apart. I don’t remember my mother being at all surprised when I called for a ride home; not for me, but for a broken piece of machinery. Even though it may not have been something that interested her, it didn’t matter. My brother and I were highly encouraged to explore what interested us, make the mistakes that needed to be made, and figure things out for ourselves. Capabilities which have served me very well throughout my life.

As sad as I am to have to say goodbye, I feel truly lucky to have been raised by such a wonderful woman

What a difference a mother can make.

We miss you greatly.