I first met Muriel in my 4th grade year at Fruitland Elementary. She was the most popular teacher at the school with her imaginative approach to every subject from art to reading. I was very lucky to have been in her class. She introduced me to the Lloyd Alexander "Prydain" series which I have delighted in sharing with other children. I recall a field trip to the heron marsh on South Hill (where the Mall is now located), an after school trek to the Woodbine Cemetery in search of owls and our classroom projects - unconventional (in these times) and amazing!

As an adult, I reconnected with Muriel and she helped me through a very difficult time in my life by opening her home and nursery to me. I worked with her at the Puyallup Farmers Market for several years. Some of my best memories were of the days spent helping her prepare for market; loading, selling, and learning so many things about plants. Former students and their parents would stop by the booth to visit and she remembered every one of them!

Between Muriel and my Mom, I became a serious gardener, not so much of crops, but of plants and garden design. My first Western Garden Book came from Muriel. She encouraged me to take on big projects, including designing gardens as a side business and even building my koi pond. She believed in creativity and its value in the world.

Muriel was also a cat lover. I recall a time when Sasha, Muriel's female Siamese, had a litter of kittens and we drove non-stop to take one to Leslie and her family in San Diego. I was fortunate to "buy" one of Sasha's Siamese kittens as a Christmas gift for my Mom. Mr. Darcy was the best present I've ever given and he was my parents' pride and joy for 13 years. Muriel also gave me a little grey female from one of Sasha's 1/2 Siamese litters. I still have Sissy and she will be 18 in a few weeks, she has been an important piece of my life and a connection to Muriel.

Rarely have I encountered someone like Muriel - talented in countless ways, with the ability to heal and accept others. She touched so many lives. The world has been all the better for the understanding and inspiration Muriel readily shared. And I was blessed to have had her in my life as a teacher and a friend.

Mom had a really great sense of humor.  It was always fun when she and Uncle Vic got together because they would be howling over each other's playfulness.

I noticed it too when she would select books to read to us.  She was a huge fan of P.G. Wodehouse and always wanted to read stories aloud.  It was a frustrating experience for the listener, because she would be laughing so hard at what she was reading, we could not understand what she was saying!

And her April Fools Day jokes played on her classes were epic.

But just last week, I read through all the comics she had clipped out over the years. Through my loneliness, I could hear her laughter and it made me laugh too.

Thanks to Mom for teaching me to play piano.  At four, she made it a game for me by having me take "lessons" from her.  I would say goodbye and go out the back door and go around and knock on the front door where my "teacher" would greet me and welcome me in.  It was great fun!

As I grew up, Mom started introducing me to piano duets. They started easy but we worked up to some pretty hard ones.  My favorite was a rollicking rendition of "Tea for Two."  We would sway on the bench, laughing and stumbling through the notes, joyously making music together.  It was a sad day when she hung up her piano playing.  I miss that.