DG (Neiland) Petterson, RIP

Quilter Girl and I met DG and her sister Linda at our church's Home Group, back in the 80's. She was fresh out of college and we became friends. Enough that when we built our house in Seattle, we accommodated her and Linda. They lived with us for five years or so, pretty much part of the family. 

If you decide to have a single woman live with you, my advice is find one who likes to cook. And DG (everyone called her that. She'd say, 'think of dog, without the O.') could whip up some food. She loved food and cooking. And people. She was a life saver for us, helping out when we were raising four young, energetic kids. One thing she did was offer to watch the kids on Date Night, so once a week we'd get an evening alone together. Someday the kids are gone and all you have is one another, so it better be good. 

Anyway, they moved away in the early 90's I'd say, and we didn't keep in touch too much, but never lost it altogether, either. Christmas cards with updates, emails here and there and then good old Facebook. 

A little while after we set out on this adventure, DG emailed me and said how she enjoyed my posts, but my grammar and spelling "Would make your fifth grade teacher blush." Well, I got offended at that, but after stepping back a bit- and looking at old posts- I realized she might be right. Well, maybe my seventh grade teacher, anyway. Rather than whine about the lemons, I decided to make lemonade and asked her if she would edit my posts. She said sure, and every day I'd send my work and she faithfully returned it before you saw what a mess I'd made of things. I got to counting on her. 

Well tonight, the post didn't come back so I texted her, 'Hey, did you get the email?' and her man Corey called soon to say she'd passed. Apparently she'd had respiratory problems and Mom found her unconscious. By the time the paramedics got there it was too late. He called me before the coroner had left. I told him how sorry I was, what can you say? Lose someone so suddenly like that. She leaves behind her mom, Corey, and her two sisters. You wonder how her mom will get along, she's been taking care of her for years. 

Always good to recollect the good times, and my son Tim called when he heard the news. He remembered DG spanking him when he'd been naughty. He laughed at her when she'd finished, apparently she didn't spank with the vigor of his daddy.

She was a real praying woman, and if she said she was praying for you, you knew she had your back because she'd be talking with The Lord, that was for sure. She'd been praying for our safety on this trip and I hope she was prayed up before she left us.  

We always wonder if we've made a difference in this life, and DG sure did in ours. She was a bright spot and my memories of her are all real good. 

She will be sorely mised. Oops, missed. Told you.