Kay Dickey: My Pennsylvania Mentor

Just about everywhere I have lived, I have looked up to and tried to emulate in some way, special, more mature women than me. In California, there was Sonny Randolph, an older widow. Tom and I were helping with the senior citizens' group, (who gave us a great baby shower for Daniel), and Sonny was the Sunday school teacher. She knew the Bible and Greek better than most seminary students. In Kansas, Betty Syrell, whose first husband was a pastor, was someone I looked up to. She had worked for GM for 27 years and was remarried to a Native American veteran after her first husband died. They helped us as though we were their children (even though she had seven of her own) and our children as grandchildren. She encouraged me as a teacher and crocheted quilts for all four of us. Once, they insisted on lending us their extra car after we had had a series of mechanical problems with ours and a friend's. We have a cross stitched plaque from them which says something like "In heaven there are many mansions. We hope ours are near yours". We hope so too. Then there is Martha Boese from Saginaw, Michigan. In her 80's, she is still volunteering at the gift shop at the Rescue Mission and available to help many others, including her husband, who is now in a nursing home. We had fun going to a Nancy Drew movie together before we left there.
By the way, at lest one person looks up to me: Kris boll from Chilton, Wisconsin. She says I am the only one who understands her jokes:).
Now to my dear friend Kay who I will sorely miss. I am trying to appreciate this remaining time with her.Even though she has five of her own kids, and two of her grandchildren stay with her and Gerry and their son half of each week, she has made room in her heart and in her time commitments for me.
We talk on the phone mainly, because her husband Gerry has had a debilitating stroke and she can't leave him for more than a few hours at a time. I have heard that she was a very good Sunday school teacher, and was active in other aspects of the church, but for this season of her life, she is by her husband's side. She carries on the main chores of the house inside and out, as well as helping him with his special needs. He often has her trying to do mechanical jobs and other things while her supervises, not her main strength, but she tries. He was able to work hard and do these things faithfully for many years, but now he can't. He maintains a positive attitude and is an encouragement to all of us at our little church.
They have had us over to eat quite a few times and she usually makes her unique onion pie, because she knows I love it. She usually sends an extra for us to eat at home.
Mainly she listens to me. She has guided me to some very helpful books, especially the 10 Red Sea Rules, how God makes a way when it is difficult to understand what is happening. She also gave us a great book for Christmas, which helped Tom understand how his DNA is especially fitted to be a hospital chaplain. Sometimes, she has helped me to settle down when I have been riled up about something. I know she doesn't always agree with every choice I make, but she does not seem judgmental or controlling (something I still need to work on).
I consider a very strong woman and friend. She has also made up for something of a Mother gap (no mothers are perfect as we all know) for me, even though she is not old enough to be my Mother. I am thankful that she will only be a phone call away when we move, but I know it won't be quite the same.