marlie warren PHOTOGRAPHY

"Those we love don't go away
they walk beside us every day.
Unseen, unheard, but always near.
Still loved.
Still missed
and very dear ..... "

-- author unknown

Rest in Peace our dear sweet friend.
You've more than earned your wings;
may they take you high!
We will love and miss you, the sisterhood and all the fun
and good times together!
You will be in our hearts for EVER and EVER!!

Our Gerri loved mindfulness, fairies and wickens, spells, candles, red wine, the full moon and US! We were lucky to have her in our lives ... and we'll cherish the memories of our YOUNGEST sister & friend ...

I've been part of a group of five fun and silly gals for well over 15 years.
But on February 7th our world came crashing down!
The youngest, the baby of our group, lost her battle to cancer after a very valiant fight.
She fought it hard and with dignity and grace. She kept a good attitude; one that we can all learn from.
She didn't complain - she didn't whine - she just pushed through day after day!
The most negative thing ever heard from her was one time towards the end she said
to one of her sisters: "Little sister isn't doing so well .... "

Gerri Keller Carter
was born November 3, 1961; the youngest of four girls.
She was diagnosed with cancer six years ago. It was devestating news but she handled it
with grace and dignity. She went through years of tests and treatments and all of the ups and downs and handled it all in the very same way.
She received the news just a month ago that she had from one to two months to live; that they couldn't do anything else for her. When she was given the news, she was actually relieved; she finally knew what she could count on!

Our group consisted of five of us: Lynnie, Marlie, Maggie and Jannie and Gerri. We've been together as a Bookclub and sisterhood since 2000.
We had all worked at Skywest Airlines at one time and three of us in the same executive office. Lynne hand picked each of us to be in the group and we've all gotten along famously all these years!

Gerri was always our little wicken. Good witches and wickens and spells were something that she really liked so the rest of us liked it too! She wrote and gave the best spells for whatever was needed within our group. It was just something we started doing as a tradition if someone in the group was having an issue. We supported her by letting her do a spell if one of us was sick or troubled or having personal issues. When we got together we always had such a blast!
Through the years we'd take turns having our bookclub meetings or our spells at our homes.
Because of this group I was actually able to get over my fear of hosting a party. I've learned to actually love doing it now!

We all gathered together with her one week before she passed away.
It was one of the most difficult things to do - to go there to her home and KNOW that this would more than likely be THE LAST TIME we'd ever see her.
It was so hard knowing that we were going to spend that

time with her for the very last time here on this earth.

Personally my heart phytically hurt and my mind was burdened with the question: "how do we say goodbye?? How do you DO that?" Each of us were brave and we tried to just act like we'd always acted .... for HER.
We gathered around her on the couch that day and took turns reading cards to her that
people from Skywest had sent.
We laughed, we smiled, we cried, we hugged .... we said "goodbye dear friend" .....

She actually walked to the door with us that day as we left after approximately a three hour visit. She needed a little help but she walked with us and said "goodbye" to us individually.
I remember turning as we left the house and she stood there by herself in the doorway - SO ALONE and so little. Lynne later commented that she just wanted to go back and help her back to the couch. It made me cry, it made me want to run back to her and somehow just make everything be okay. But, I knew it wasn't okay and this was the last time I'd probably ever see my friend alive.
It's one of those things in life that there are no words for - you can't explain it, you can't REALLY discribe your feelings or your thoughts ... you can't possibly change anything and you just have to live with the outcome.

Gerri went to sleep that night and she didn't ever wake up again. That was on Saturday January 31st. Her husband had Hospice come within the next couple of days to help him take care of her needs and to help her transition from this life into the next.
During that next week, family members came to say their final goodbye's. Two of us girls, myself and Lynnie that live locally, went to do the same. She was peaceful and sweet and actually looked rosie cheeked and healthy. It was hard to believe she wasn't just sleeping as I touched her face and whispered in her ear .... I couldn't imagine that she'd never wake up again!
But, she didnt ....
she passed peacefully and with her husband Rod at her side, exactly seven days later on February 7, 2015.
He'd loved and taken care of her through the initial diagnosis, all of the appointments and

tests, the treatments and then through everything after the final news was given
that she had from a month to two months to live and her physical body slowly shut down.

We got the call from Rod on that somber Saturday and again, as each of us heard the news, we wept for our friend, for our sister.
I speak for all of us in the Fab Five ... we will forever cherish the memories and the fun times and love and miss her every single day.

..... "Goodbye dear friend. We love you. We are now four here on this earth but, you are with us and in our hearts forever ... "