Gone too soon....words of a song by Michael Jackson are going around in my head. I wasn't a big fan of Michael Jackson, but those words resonate. Early on Sunday morning one of my closest friends died. Gloria and I had been friends since we first met in 1967. It was during my second year living in Canada and she was the first person in my new country to become my friend. Up till that point there were aquaintances but no firm friendship. I missed my friends, especially my best friend whom I've known from childhood, back in England and I was lonely wondering if I had done the right thing by coming to Canada, a country which I had always wanted to come to, but only knew a handful of people.....my Aunt Nancy and a family who had been our neighbours and had emigrated the year before me.
The first year in Canada I lived in London, Ontario, a city about half an hour drive from Stratford, where my Aunt lived. I liked my job in a drug store, but found it hard to make friends, so in 1967 while visiting my Aunt one weekend I saw an advertisment recruiting staff for a new department store opening up in Stratford. I applied for, and got a job, and a few weeks later moved to Stratford. I was put to work in the health and beauty department and became friends with Pauline, the department supervisor, but she was married and so we were mainly work mates, social life was still quiet. Then one day Gloria who had started work in the store's main office, asked me if I wanted to come out with her and group of fellow workers for a drink after work, and I gladly accepted the invitation. That was the start of our close friendship which continued till this past Sunday when she passed suddenly with a heart attack at the age of 62....Gone too soon....
Gloria in 1969
We shared some fun memories. We were room mates for a few years. First in Stratford, then in London, (both in Ontario). In London we were joined by Sue, another recent immigrant from London, England. Through good times and bad we never had an argument. When in 1974 I married my husband Richard,...Gloria was my maid of honour, and as a wedding gift she made me my dress. Richard and I celebrated our 36th wedding anniversary today (March 16) and toasted Gloria with a glass of Vodka and Tonic.....something I know she would appreciate, we were both Vodka girls (although we did enjoy many a glass of wine together).
In recent years Gloria had many medical problems. First it was high blood pressure, followed by Diabetes, Asthma and Arthritis. She had never married and so lived alone after Sue married in 1989. (She and Sue had continued to be room mates after I moved out to be with Richard) By that time she was in Toronto, a city she loved. Eventually she had to go onto Disability Pension as she could no longer work. However it didn't stop her from continuing to help others. She loved to help older people especially and had become a loving companion to an Aunt and at the same time managed to help out older neighbours by doing their grocery shopping, running errands or cooking for them. At the expense of her own health she continued to do this right up till the day she entered hospital in early March to have a knee replacement surgery. Even though she came through the surgery successfully, an infection developed a week or so later, and this past weekend she was re-admitted to hospital with dangerous low blood sugar levels and high blood pressure.
In the early hours of Sunday the loving heart of my dear friend could not go on.....and she passed.
Over the last couple of days I have deeply regretted not making the effort to go to Toronto and visit Gloria for two or three years, and was so neglectful of our friendship. (Knowing she could not make the long drive herself anymore) Yes I can make excuses. We were busy with our store, we couldn't afford it, we had other things to do.....where does the time go, ....phone calls yes, but not quite the same as sitting with a person, the hugs, the laughs, the sharing of memories, the female chatter, shopping together...sharing a meal.....
I miss you already Gloria! I wish I could tell you how sorry I am that I didn't make that extra effort. Rest in peace dear friend.
Gloria Silbernagel...... Aug. 28th 1947 to March 14th 2010 Gone too soon.......
