I owe much of what I have in my life now to THY, where I met Colleen Houser.  I only knew her for a few short years, but I can’t recall a time when she didn't have me laughing about something.  I think I started at THY right around the same time as Lyssa and Lexi so Colleen was one of the first parents I met and I immediately felt like I could say anything to her. Whenever she was on the pool deck I wanted to stand near her to listen to her share a story or just make a comment about something, which made me laugh.  I remember when Dave asked me if I could share a room with her one year at nationals and I said “of course”. I think if it had been anyone else I would felt a little weird sharing a room with a parent, but not with Colleen.  I do not really remember what we would talk about but I just remember having so much fun at that nationals! She also always managed to get on the pool deck at nationals without the proper “bracelet”. She did not care. She just walked right by the officials like she owned the place. No one questioned her. I think I was more nervous than she was.

Colleen, you will always be special to me, as you were there the day I met my husband on the pool deck and I remember the group of parents laughing at me from up in the stands while taking pictures. I was SO embarrassed. You will be forever missed. Katey (Jann) Paige

Since the day I was able, I have loved to read.  Colleen picked up on this and at any opportunity sent me a box of new books for my birthday and for Christmas every year until I was about 12.  She knew that reading was my refuge, and she nurtured my love of books at every opportunity.  This was long before it was easy to send things to another person, which means that she actually went to a bookstore, selected books, found a box, and went to the post office to mail them to me.  It was by no means a casual or convenient thing to do, but she always made sure to always send me books. I devoured every book she ever sent me, but the ones that really changed my life were the Little House on the Prairie series by Laura Ingalls Wilder.

Never in a million years were these books I would pick up, but I eventually got around to cracking their yellow spines.  As soon as I started reading them, I was instantly drawn in to Wilder’s description of life on the prairie.  I probably read them all at least a half a dozen times, but my favorite was The Long Winter, which was all about how the Wilders survived…wait for it…a long winter on the Minnesota prairie.  It was terrifying and amazing to me that they were happy with so little, that they managed to preserve in horrifying conditions, and that at the end of the winter they seemed to emerge a little stronger despite incredible hardship.  I carried this story in my heart long after that book finally ripped in two from so much reading and rereading.  It seems reductive, but the machinations of my eight year old brain figured if Laura and her family could survive on rotten potatoes, I was also capable of flourishing despite hardship in any form.  

I think that one of Colleen’s greatest gifts was her intuition about the people she loved.  I was an open book to her.  After my parents, Colleen and Steve have known me the longest.  They were my first playmates.  They were my confidants, my conspirators, my angels.  Even after all of our lives changed in wonderful, sad, happy, and challenging ways, I still always knew that my Aunt Colleen knew the core of who I was.  We never needed to have hard conversations because somehow she was able to intuit my feelings and the kind of support and love I needed at the time.  She said difficult things with an extra firm hug.  She soothed me with her laugh.  She had the most bountiful and generous kind of love and she gave it so freely.  Looking back, I think she knew that I would need those books in a way that only has occurred to me twenty seven years later.  They helped me form a solid, invincible core that has protected me all of my life.  I’m so grateful that Colleen was in my life, and she left an indelible mark on me.  I think of her every day, and when I do, I hear her laugh, I hear her calling me a turkey, I feel the warmth of her smile and her arms around my shoulders.  I’ll always miss her and love her with all of my heart.

One of my memories of Colleen was when we lived in a townhouse in Newtown.  This house was ideal for our family since it had a completed basement with a bar, a dance floor, and a lounge.  Our family actually called it our "party house".  After one of our parties our next door neighbor asked if we would adopt he and  his wife since they wanted to be a part of our family and our parties.  He commented that they enjoyed sitting in their family room hearing us laughing and having a good time on our deck where our barbecu was.  He said that one person in particular that they enjoyed was the laughter of one of our girls.  He commented that when she laughed she really laughted.  This of course was Colleen.  We told him that we were sorry but at this point our family was full but we appreciated the thought.

As many of you may know, Steve and Collen had a trio named Colleen & Company. They had a "gig" in Lyonville, PA at a Holiday Inn that was close enough that we could driive there to hear them play.  On a Saturday night we went out to hear them when all of a sudden it was break time and Colleen stepped off the stage and walked across the dance floor and Steve coontinued  to play.  This was unusual which meant that they were not taking a break.  Sjhe had on  a black gown and she looked stunning.  When she got to our table I pulled a chair for her to sit down but she did not sit down instead she took my arm and said "common on, let's dance".  I said you know I don't dance.  She continued to pull my arm and Margaret said go ahead and dance.  I thought there was a coonspiracy here to get Pjil on the dance floor.  I could see I had no choice  and she gently but firmly pulled my aarm and I was on my feet.  She leaned over and whispered in my ear to start moving your feet and I will follow.  I stood there in shock and she whispered in my ear a little louder to move my feet and I will follow.  I started moving my feet and she followed. My only escape was to look at Steve and give him the signal to stop playing but he ignored me and I knew it was planned. I continued to move my feet and she followed and I started to feel comfortable.  Instead of wanting Steve to stop playing I wanted him to keep playing so I could keep dancing.  I guess the best explanation at this point was that I felt like the little kid that had just had his training wheels taken off his bike and was saying look mom I can ride by myself.  I felt like telling everyone in the Holiday Inn that night "look at me I'm dancing".  When I came back to the table Margaret's comment was "I knew you could dance".  So in conclusion I am sure we all know where Colleen is and eventualy we will all be together againl.  I just want to ask you a favor Colleen WOULD YOU SAVE THE LAST DANCE FOR ME!!!!