I met Nancy in the 80s when her daughter Deborah invited me to join her in a visit to her parent’s home.  I fell in love with her the instant I met her in her kitchen in Connecticut.  She was baking Jenifer House Molasses cookies, and they were the best molasses cookies I had ever had.  I asked for the recipe, and it has become a “go to” dessert ever since.  Now, when I open my cook book and see that recipe in her handwriting; I smile thinking about this funny, sweet, beautiful woman I was lucky to have known.

We were chatting about dating and marriage one night, and I asked Nancy how she and Don had met.  She said she knew him; he was good looking and seemed very nice.  He asked her out, and she agreed.  But the day of the date the worry set in. What if they didn’t have a lot to talk about?  What if they didn’t have much in common? What if he wasn’t as nice as she thought? What if he was an ax murderer?  Well, that was it.  She couldn’t break the date, and he had her address.  There was only one thing to do.  She went down to her mailbox and taped the name “Stewart” on the box, figuring he would drive by thinking he had the wrong place.   Don said he never saw it; they went on their date and had a very nice time; and the rest is history. From that story on - she was Nancy Stewart to me! 

When Nancy had her aneurysm, I went to visit her in the hospital with Deb.  The door was open, and there was this beautiful woman, with a pixie haircut and a pretty pink velour track suit sitting on the bed smiling.  I couldn’t believe it- she was luminous!  Her positive attitude and sense of humor were still intact.  What could have been a very somber visit became a giggle fit.  I never forgot that:  Whenever I have been hospitalized, I’ve made sure to wear a beautiful robe, put on makeup and a smile. It has put my friends at ease, and given me a positive attitude about getting better.

Being around Nancy was a guarantee there would be laughter.  The world was brighter when she smiled.