Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Sunday, March 8, 2009
A version of Suzanne's letter to Roxanne about their big adventure
8-22-08
ROXANNE BRUNS…an incredible human being.
My friend, buddy, partner in crime, mentor, best listener in the world.
Hello Roxanne –
Gosh, where does this start…..you have been in my life for such a LONG time. We went to the same Christian Science church, so we have a similar metaphysic background. I remember one winter day in Boston, shopping for fabric and I noticed this striking tall beautiful blonde woman next to me….I stole a glance and said…..hello Roxanne. Do you remember??? My Mother had told me you were living in Boston also, but we never hooked up. The meeting in the fabric store must have been fate.
I remember taking the train up to the singing beach, remember??? That where the sand made noise when you walked on it??? Soon after we decided we both wanted to go to school, but couldn’t afford the eastern universities, and had heard that colleges were free in California. So we packed up all our earthly belongings in your red volkswagon, I think we each had $150 in our pockets and we set sail.
I drove to Toledo with some people I had met at the Harvard Graduate School of Government and you had to pick me up in Indiana, …..I left my kitty with you in Boston and you took care of her and brought my little kitty Sasha with you. Remember that damn cat???? Wouldn’t take a pee or poop anywhere but on my lap in your car!!!..
The adventure began at my house by the river…..me with my shaved head because I thought I would look at good as Nina Simone in the Patty La Belle group, but discovered that I looked like an escaped mental patient instead. Luckily bandanas were in style then. Think I wore one for 8 months. You looking absolutely wonderful as usual, tall blond, piercing green eyes, leggy and do I mean Leggy!!!! How tall are you woman….5’10” – 5’11” – doesn’t matter…you always wore those clogs that made you 3 inches taller!!!!
Our adventure was going along well until…..we stopped at your friend Cheryl’s house in Pueblo, Co only to discover we needed to rebuild the little Volkswagen engine. So we both set out to get jobs. Me at a collection agency where I met the cowgirl I went shooting pistols with in the desert and the other girl with two nipples on one boob who gave her kids shots to go to sleep. You, got the wonderful job at the Bloody Bucket. There you are, tall blonde beautiful, with 3 in. heels, in a little burgundy maid’s costume waiting on tables. Hilarious!!! Hell, your crotch was at eye level when you walked up to the tables and snarled out a, “what can I get for you” Didn’t they tell you you had to improve your attitude or they’d fire you???? LOL…..so freakin funny. I think we split town before you had to change your personality.
Car fixed….time to head to my sister’s in Irvine, Ca……spent the night in some strange little motel where we met the magician….he did a magic act for us with white doves. Remember? No, I think this is one you don’t remember. Well, I’m sure you remember our “day trip to Mexico”. Quick drive down, look at the shabby mess, turn around….don’t think we even got out of the car, and there is was…..the Border guard…..”Girls…..what you doing in Mexico?”…..me….”just checking it out”. Guard to me, “let me see your purse”. Well, wouldn’t you know it!!! I had one of those freaking long glass pipes with the curve in the middle so you could watch the smoke. Really, quite fun….but he didn’t seem to like it. You, didn’t seem too happy either…..so we were instructed to “pull over to the side”. They herded us into the station, upon which, they dug through the ashtray, dang….forgot that stuff was in there too!!!! You were a little mad at me until they brought in your “dead plant” from the back of the volkswagon!!! Remember that!!!! What a bunch of airheads we were!!!! OH and when he started wiping dust off of your check book….upon which you snarled…..It’s American Dust!!!! LOL…..they should make a movie of this…..
Guess they didn’t like that as then we had to give them all our money, which I think was $300 and YOU had to write some essay and promise never to return to Tijuana…..well, I’ve kept my promise.
(END NOT INCLUDED IN THIS VERSION)
Suzanne Wheeler
(with her permission)
Suzanne's hummingbird painting
In the program for Roxanne's memorial, I published a note from Suzanne which made reference to this painting. We had it at the memorial and passed it around. In the note, Suzanne wrote: "...She passed through the veil. She has sailed around the horizon, out of our sight, but into the sight of others. I truly believe that we will see her again...
I was blessed to have known her....she always encouraged me to paint. It was a dream of mine, but I never had time until my husband died and my daughter left home. The attached is the third painting I've done [the hummingbird]. I thought of Roxanne the whole time I did it. My teacher said...do you know that upraised wings is the sign of resurrection?"
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Saturday, January 31, 2009
Oakland Sunset
This panoramic photo of Oakland at sunset reminds me of the wonderful vista from Kimberly's dining room, as people gathered together (around 5:30...this photo probably taken a bit later); the weather was so perfect for the day -- unbelievable!
- Emily
- Emily
Birth and Death, by Richard Henry Lee
This poem was shared by George Strong, of Fern Lodge, at the celebration of life for Roxanne, and several people expressed a desire to have a copy. See comment for poem.
Roxanne Celebration of Life - Program p. 1
A couple of days before the memorial event for Roxanne, I started compiling passages from Roxanne's writings. I felt she wouldn't mind sharing these if she was alive. I included a song, a poem, a letter from a school days friend, and some images. There are 8 pages in all. In the cover image, which is cropped from Chris' original, she is looking down at a gorgeous husky (picture appears elsewhere in this blog); I saw her sweetness and love in this shot (taken by a friend), so that's why I included it on the cover. There are so many people to thank, who helped put on this celebration, and all spoken contributions were very welcome. I wish we could have included everyone.
The food was provided by Phil Gelb ("In the mood for food", musician/vegan chef/caterer, who contributed some wonderful creative and light dishes, including a raw beet pate (beets ground up with various nuts and seeds and daikon), a pilaf of two kinds of quinoa, a black bean chili and a blood orange/fennel salad. A meal worthy of Roxanne who had a very refined palate! It's all for you, Roxanne... It has been a way of closure for me, to work on this compilation. As we printed only limited numbers of this program, I wanted a way to share it.
This lovely poem was read at the memorial on 1/30/09 for Roxanne Bruns by George Strong at Fern Lodge, and several people requested to get a copy of it.
Birth and death
Birth refines
our view
of man,
As dusk
our view
of stars.
Dim at first?
No, star and man alike reflect
the amplitude of ageless light.
Death refines
our view
of man,
As dawn
our view
of stars.
Gone, you say?
No, shining still each celebrates
with us eternal day.
Richard Henry Lee
Last night there was a remarkable cheshire cat moon and a photographer on the other side of the world captured it. But if anyone in Oakland took a picture of it, let us know!
Birth and death
Birth refines
our view
of man,
As dusk
our view
of stars.
Dim at first?
No, star and man alike reflect
the amplitude of ageless light.
Death refines
our view
of man,
As dawn
our view
of stars.
Gone, you say?
No, shining still each celebrates
with us eternal day.
Richard Henry Lee
Last night there was a remarkable cheshire cat moon and a photographer on the other side of the world captured it. But if anyone in Oakland took a picture of it, let us know!
Tuesday, January 13, 2009
RoxanneThursday, December 11, 2008
An obituary of Roxanne by her friends
Roxanne Bruns, our loving friend, niece, cousin and daughter, born September 19, 1951, to Ralph and Doris Bruns of Ft. Wayne, Indiana, died too soon, on November 6, 2008, in Oakland, California.
Born to a family with deep roots in Ft. Wayne, Roxanne attended New Haven High School (’69) and earned a degree in French from Purdue University.
Roxanne moved to San Francisco in the mid-70's after living in Boston a short time. Her favorite haunts became Stinson Beach, Bolinas, and Harbin Hot Springs; over the years, she also travelled further afield to Hawaii, Mexico and Morocco.
She developed a career in video production at San Francisco's City College, and also worked at KCSM and Hewlett Packard.
About 10 years ago, she switched to a real estate career and became a respected and successful realtor for Prudential and Keller Williams. Her clients often became her friends, and she generously gave real estate and design advice to friends and neighbors. She cared about her community; at one point, she became famous for her campaign against the whistling mufflers!
With Madonna, a gorgeous chow she rescued and brought out west after visiting friends in Florida, she moved to Oakland from SF in the mid-90s. Roxanne had a keen eye for interior design, appreciated elegant fashion, yet had a talent for bargain hunting. She was a history-lover and active member of Oakland Heritage Alliance. Well-read and articulate, she avidly discussed books, plays and movies, and she often attended lectures such as Commonwealth Club events. Sociable and fun-loving, she appreciated good wine and gourmet food. A lover of nature, she hiked as often as she could, and dreamed of living in the country someday.
Roxanne believed strongly that one should try to visualize one’s desired outcome, and also believed in healing through the power of the mind. She practiced gratitude, devoting her last months of life to intensive reading and journaling. Even after becoming ill, she brought to bear that positive focus on her friends' problems.
Roxanne is predeceased by her mother Doris, survived by her father, Ralph Bruns of Castro Valley, Uncle and Aunt Kenneth and Illief of Ft. Wayne, Uncle Don Bruns of Annapolis, Cousins Diane and Neal Bruns of Ft. Wayne, and Doug Bruns, of Fulton, MD. Her caregiving circle included women friends from a longstanding book club, former work places, close neighbors who became friends from the three places she lived in Oakland, and other dear ones back east. Rox was so grateful to her friends, and caregivers of Heavenly Home Care, who enabled her to stay at home till the end.
A celebration of life, with Christian Science readings and other sharing, will take place Friday, January 30, 2009, at 5:30 pm in Oakland. For information, please email eodza@comcast.net or call 510-638-5446. Donations to Women's Cancer Resource Center (www.wcrg.org) or Humane Society are preferred.
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