Two years today, April 18, Sue Pierscionek left many people whose lives she touched in unforgetable ways. I think about her every day and miss her as much as I did the day she passed.
Sue "got" me. I'm not always easy to understand and there are aspects to me that few know or will ever know. But Sue knew them. We could laugh and joke one moment,which was unique in itself since Sue was known for being straight laced and I am kind of the opposite of that, and in the next moment we could share our disappointments,pain and setbacks.
Our relationship had its moments.Sue was a straight shooter and if she didn't approve of something,she would let you know. Not just in my case,but with all the people she cared about. She and I had a few run ins but they never lasted long and it seemed they actually brought us closer.
Sue didn't suffer fools or fakes well. When life at work was tedious or annoying she would call out those responsible for making it such. She did the same thing with the shows our comedy group performed annually. Sue had standards and if you were her friend, you met those standards and were the better off for it.
Her abiding love of God and His creatures was on full display always. When someone was ill or troubled Sue would invite us to pray with her. She wasn't shy about loving the Lord or the Virgin Mary but she wasn't preachy either.
The term "lucky dog" summarizes the situation of any canine that was allowed space in Sue's home. When her beloved dog passed away, she rescued her "Sadie" from a shelter . Sadie was a companion and a great source of comfort to Sue in her final months. Sadie now resides with a relative Sue chose for her dog's "forever home."
We comfort ourselves in ways very strange sometimes. When Sue passed, many of her close friends commented that at last,she could be with her sister Linda who had passed of the same illness a few years earlier. I can't know but I very much believe that Sue was never the same after the passing of her sister...that a part of Sue passed with Linda.
I mentioned earlier that Sue was known to be straight laced.
One of my favorite memories of her was at our annual Christmas party when we all recorded greetings as we stood in front of the lit tree.
Sue said some wonderful things and to finish up she looked into the camera and said "...and Jeff,Merry fuckin' Christmas." The guests exploded in laughter as this word we never heard her say got said, perfectly planned for the shock value she knew it would provide.
In our shows, we played Sue against type ,casting her as a boozy,card playing,gambling scammer and I think she enjoyed this comedic new world. I know our audiences enjoyed her performances. And her organizational skills made her a great help to me as the director and my assistant, Kate.
See what you did Sue? Two years later and I can't be near a keyboard without using it to share memories of you.
Weeks before she passed,Sue called me at 11 am from her hospital room where she was for tests. It was expected she would soon be released. That morning I took the call and said "Hello" and Sue said right away, "I need you." I told her I was right here and she prayed with me.
I believe and will always believe that she had just gotten the news that she wasn't coming home.She never said it, never told any of us until she was moved to hospice.
I am thankful that this good woman shared her friendship with me . And even more thankful that the last thing I said to her was "I love you".
Remember Sue,and tell someone you love them tonight.
