I just learned that another dear friend, Marguerite Pattie, died March 5 in Florida.

She lived almost 100 years, probably by her determination to accomplish one more self-imposed task.

She has waged a one-woman crusade against bottling water from the aquifer beneath her home in Zephyrhills, as the company has continued to pump out thousands of gallons daily. No one seems to care what will happen when the water table therefore drops far enough to let the sea enter!

She was widow of Don Pattie, about whom I have written many words of appreciation. Marguerite used to play the piano in Stearns School auditorium for sing-alongs during Columbus’ Fourth of July celebration back when it was “Fabulous.” She and Don also composed a song to be sung at reunions of the crew of one of Don’s carriers, the USS Santee.

Mary Pattie (Trucks) was Aunt Mildred’s friend since their schooldays, so Mary’s brother, Naval Aviator Don Pattie, stopped by early in World War II on his way to a change in duty station. He had all of his gear with him, and trusted me (only 10 years old) to use his powerful binoculars to look at airplanes flying over our house.

Thus began a nearly lifelong friendship, which was renewed when I returned here in retirement.

Aunt Mildred had lots of great friends to share with us, as we joined her group at Hardee’s on Tuesday mornings. They all were more than 70 years old then, so Fran called them ”The Girls.” They selected Tuesday mornings to meet because they often went somewhere on weekends, and might need to rest on Mondays.

When Don and Marguerite were summering in their house in Green River Cove, they would often invite all of us to join them there for a long afternoon, culminating in a feast of “common food prepared uncommonly well” by Marguerite (quoting one of my earlier descriptions.) It was an idyllic setting, by a creek with falling water below and behind their house.

Marguerite always insisted on having us over for a meal whenever they were in Columbus, whether they were in residence, or just here for a few days.    

The Girls — Mildred Rippy, Mary Pattie Trucks, Louise Averill Thompson, Myrtle Williams Thompson and Mary Danis — are all gone now, as are most of the additions to the group that continued to meet Tuesdays at TJ’s after Hardee’s closed. The group had continued to grow as friends brought friends, but now Fran and I check with the only couple left, Art and Caroline Brown, to see whether to meet.

Caroline is a grandniece of Emily Kerr, another of Aunt Mildred’s friends. I remember meeting Miss Kerr in her little house on what I called “Kerr Mountain.” Caroline recognizes on her vanity plate their log home built on her part of the mountain as “Kerrwood.” 

It is getting ever more difficult to get together, what with all the medical appointments among us four! We have always tried to schedule other activities around Tuesday mornings, but it is not always possible. All of us are heavily involved in community service activities in addition to our regular visits to a gym and our doctors.

I have to report the loss of yet another great friend, another engineer colleague you don’t know.

Bob Murray was the poster boy for an all-around good guy who had a host of friends (everyone he met) and no enemies. With a ready grin and absolutely “no guile,” as Jesus said of Nathanael, Bob remained so as he descended into the abyss of Alzheimer’s.

Au revoir, Bob.