I have been friends with this beautiful lady for almost 40 years! And though we hadn't seen each other in eight, when Bea and her family pulled up to our house on Saturday I went bursting out the front door, whopping and jumping around like the kids we were when we first met.
Growing up across the street, we shared adventures big and small. She and I have hours of stories to bore our kids with - our brilliant idea to build a dance club in her shed, selling "passes" to our neighbors to allow them to drive down the street, the Army-Navy game ball, collecting old beer cans and "stray bullets", winding through Wayne in her '67 Mustang convertible, sunbathing with baby oil and tin foil. Dances and pool parties; Kickline and four-square; summer camp and late nights. I stood by her side as a bridesmaid; she did the same for me many years later (with one sweet baby born and another one the way).
So many belly laughes, so many memories. And the flip side of life too: the shocking tragedy of loosing her mom; the hard decisions and fears of adulthood. Through it all, we've supported each other, cried and consoled, given and received loving advice.
Our friendship is, and has always been, grounded in mutual respect and admiration. Her beliefs, my choices - not always the same, but always accepted with the open hearts of true friends. I adore this woman, and I will always, always have her back. She is kind, wise, exuberant and completely devoted to her amazing family.
Bea Ann Barraclough Twede - you mean the world to me and I am blessed to call you friend!
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| Oh lovely girls. Christmas morning at my house. |
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| Graduation from the Big C |
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| Fraternity dance at PSU |
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| Always smiling |
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| Hey, it was the 80's! |
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| Love you Bea! |