Wednesday, November 30, 2016
Dear Patterson Family,
Sadly, I learned of Elena's death from my mother, who read her obituary in the Durham Herald-Sun while I was at work. I just can't believe it. Immediately I had to reach out to Robin, Tracy, and Janet, who lived with her, as I did, in Granville Towers and then, withTracy and me, at Old Well. I don't know where Valerie is but I want to find her and let her know, in case she is unaware.
So many thoughts crowded my mind when I learned of her death. We lost touch after Tracy and I moved to Estes Park; we were at odds. Then I saw her again, years later, at the Mothers of Multiples yard sale, where she was shopping and I was working. I then learned of her boys, and I saw on her face that they gave her joy.
She was such a smart girl, but I felt she was always striving for something that was just out of reach. Tracy and I, and our other friends, couldn't make her happy. That made us sad.
At this knowledge of her passing we are all sad again. There is an un-named closeness that comes from living together in college, a time characterized by many-faceted development, acquiring of self-knowledge, a lot of angst, and, for many of us, disappointment. Somehow I felt that Elena was mostly disappointed.
My heart just breaks to learn of her death. To think of her boys without their mother. I lost my husband when my kids were 16. It has been a hard road for them, and I hope her boys have the strength to understand their mother's love and to cope with the loss of her everyday presence.
Much love to your family; as I said before, this news has broken my heart.
Sheryl Thomas Fowler
