There are only a few friends from Georgia who will remember how we used to play "fire drill" in the car. The original point was to pull up to a red light at an intersection, put the car in park, everyone jump out of the car and run around the car, getting back in the car at their original exit point, in time to make the green light and pull away from the intersection like nothing had happened; all cool and collected. Well as the adult driver, I would never put the girls in such danger at an intersection. However, we had a blast at every parking lot we could find.
I think (and hope) I have this right. On this one particular night (I can't even remember who all was in the car) I pulled in to the parking lot across from the mall. I drove around like I was looking for a place to park and the girls were busy just a blabbering as usual in the back seat. And then …. Bam! All of a sudden I slammed on the brakes, put the car in park and screamed "Fire Drill!". Every one started laughing and screaming and running around the car; all but one girl. and I think it was Melissa Holsenbake. As we rounded the car, hear was this one body hanging out of the backseat; butt on the seat, head turned upside down on the ground, laughing so hard she was almost crying, because she had not removed her seatbelt. We all just stopped and laughed so hard ….. Because that was just another memory we could add to our already growing list of things we had done together. And then of course we went for ice cream.
It was such a blessing to share those moments with those girls. Melissa, Cheryl, Melissa; you all made those times so special. Angela remembered them often. Thank You.
I met Angela when we were in 7th grade. We were in band class together. She played the flute while I played the clarinet. Therefore, we sat across from each other. She smiled the biggest smile at me on the first day of school and introduced herself. We became fast friends. In fact, she became my very best friend in what seemed like overnight. We became almost inseparable. We passed notes and notebooks back-n-forth in school. We started signing them with the message "LYLAS," which means Love Ya Like a Sis and 2 + 2 = 4, which meant 2 friends 2gether 4ever! We loved having sleepovers on the weekends. I remember spending many nights at her house in Augusta. A Friday night usually consisted of us going to dinner or a movie or the Augusta Mall with her mom. You see, we enjoyed hanging out with Debbie because she was cool. We would do a Chinese fire drill at least once while we were out. Then we'd laugh till we almost wet our pants. We would stay up late talking, giggling, and trying to eat sour patch kids or tear jerkers without making a face. Saturday mornings, Debbie would show us how to make monkey bread for a yummy, nutritious breakfast. Lol. Then we would clean and do whatever chores Debbie wanted done so we could earn money & buy matching outfits from GOODY'S. We had at least 3 outfits that I remember. At the end of our 7th grade year, I learned that Angela was moving to Virginia. I was heartbroken because I had never had a friend like her. (And to this day, no one has ever been able to fill her shoes as the friend she was to me!) We stayed in touch over the years, but not as much as I would have liked. We both made a few trips to see each other. Angela also shared my special wedding day with me as my maid of honor. You see, even though she was only in my life for a very short time, she made such a huge impact on my life, and was my very best friend. She taught me what true friendship is. She taught me how to love with my whole heart. She loved without holding anything back. She was such a powerful encourager. She made me feel like I was the most special person and always called me beautiful, even when I couldn't accept it myself. So it is with a heavy heart and great sadness that I type this message in past tense. However, her impact and memories will forever live on in my heart! Until we meet again, gorgeous, I will cherish those memories and be forever grateful for the time we did have together. I know you are singing with angels now, and I look forward to hugging your neck again one day!
-LYLAS,
Melissa
Phantom of the Opera was the first opera Angela attended. She loved all the songs but her favorite was "Think of Me". It was a hint of things between Christine and the Phantom.
Angela also loved Les Miserables. This opera had music that touched Angela’s heart. Angela performed the song I Dreamed a Dream for her induction into the Tri-M Music Society in High School.
She loved all music, from Brooks Dunn “Brand New Man” to Bon Jovi “Livin on a Prayer”s, Madonna, Queen, Usher, Blake Shelton and the list goes on.
But one song has been brought to my attention by friends of Angela. Speciffically, the song "For Good" from the musical Wicked. It is about how the Glinda the Good Witch and Elphaba the Wicked Witch met long before the Wizard of Oz.
I loaded the song to share with you.
Angela had a beautiful singing voice. A favorite memory is when she and her cousins sang a Happy Birthday song to their "Manny" for a surprise 60th birthday party. Now she surely sings with uninhibited joy.
I would be doing Angela no justice if I did not share this with you, whoever you may be. There are certain things in a lifetime that people wish for, some people wish for riches, some people wish for Power and the list goes on. Very few people are actually lucky enough to experience a wish or a dream come true . I am here to show my gratitude and appreciation to God for allowing me to experience such a wonderful chapter of my life at such a young age with Angela. You see there are not many people who can testify to experiencing life at such a young age like I had with Angela. You see there are not many people who can testify to experiencing true love. Being with Angela made that so easy. We were inseparable, our parents could not even keep us apart. we were young and we were in love. And this short explanation of one of the most wonderful time periods in My life is in no way meant to be disrespectful towards my wife, Christina, or any partner that Angela may have had during her passing for it was Angela that taught me how to love a woman and how to be a man, and for that I thank you my very dear friend, my wife thanks you , my children thank you. I have no doubt in my mind where you are right now, when some people pass you often wonder if they took the escalator down Or got that golden ticket upstairs...yours was a direct VIP exclusive... And though we have not talked in years I do not care if certain things changed about you because there is no way that a beautiful soul such as yourself changed on the inner core, you definitely proved to us all that in life...sometimes...though it's rare....angels walk amongst humans. I am breathing today and exhaling and placing your memory in a special place in my heart where only my greatest friends remain. I love you my friend. Always have, always will.
Rob
