Thank you for Loving Carol! We have been home for 2 days and we have slowed down enough to reflect on the ups and downs of our experience over the past 3 weeks. We could not have done it without the incredible support and help from Carols friends near and far and also the wonderful folks we met in Oklahoma. Wed like to acknowledge and thank them here, even though many are not part of this page. My apologies if we overlook someone. Christina Blake, for your concern about Carols silence on FB and calling for a welfare check. Her father was a long time college friend of Carols. Jerry and Linda Dyer, wonderful neighbors who always were there for Carol when she needed them and who stepped up when we needed them the first several days and ongoing. Jerry was a wealth of knowledge about the property and how everything worked! Gail Gleason, Carols dearest friend, who has been there every step of the way and took the lead all the way from Riverside CA to find homes and help for the animals. While I grew up with horses, it has been a long time. Gail ensured that Carols wish that all 40+ animals find good homes happened! Sharon Jackson, the woman on the ground, who coordinated with Gail to start placing the horses and helping me inventory horse stuff. She and her friend Diane Acox also found immediate homes for the chickens and Sharon took Natasha, the 30 year old cockatoo, who we were greatly worried about as we know nothing about birds! Pat Lowe and her husband (I apologize for forgetting your name) - we call them the horse whisperers, or at least the trailer whisperers, who took Fudge, Maggie and CA Barbie that first Saturday. Yeah, I like them even tho they took away the beautiful paint/Arab mix, Fudge, who I quickly fell in love with=:) Kristi Milo - the calming factor for our second week as we prepared final arrangements, prepared to sell property and pack for California. She was the calm, capable, caring presence in the house. As has been stated, she captured and rehomed all the remaining cats after we left! Then drove 13 hours with 2 horses, 3 dogs and 3 cats!! Michelle Beal and MJ Hoepner who were Carols dear friends and set up this great Memorial page! Our son Jason and our friend Betsy who both were able to take time off work to be with us in Oklahoma. We could not have done it all without you! The orchid friends and enthusiasts - Peter Lin who got Carols orchid registered with the Royal Horticultural Society in London and walked me through packing it for shipping to Dallas. Carolyn McCabe of the Oklahoma City Orchid Society who helped me connect with a few members and more importantly with the team (Pearl and all) at the Zoo and Nate at the Myriad Botanical Gardens. The 5 zoo folks not only took 2 truck loads of orchids but helped Sharon roll a round bale of hay into the pasture in the pouring rain! Elizabeth at Strawns Corner Liquors who cried when Larry said why he was picking up boxes as she had been out to help Carol with greenhouse this past summer. Choctaw Police for the care, sensitivity and great advise along the way. Gary Gregg and Jimmie at Hibbs Funeral Home showed not only compassion but humor and storytelling and care about the animals and all we were dealing with. Gary introduced us to Mike Vineyard, carpenter extraordinaire, who took care of a few needed fixes on the house, as well as the T.E. Mayo at the auction company. Professionals Jim Posey, lawyer, and Linda Shingleton, realtor, who have made everything as quick and easy as possible. The good folks at United Way and also DIane Acox, who gave us great referrals. Other rehoming team members included Kathy Barnes and Dawn White without whom 3 dogs would still be homeless. Instead they are all happily placed. (Keep the pictures coming) The folks at Town & Country Vet, Nicole at the Pampered Pet and EMA - all who responded with compassion when we needed records, shampoos for the dogs, or blood draws. And to the rest of you who have been there virtually in support of all that was accomplished. To think we didnt know any of you just 3 weeks ago and yet we have traveled this journey together. We have all done the best we could and we feel Carol would be pleased and honored at the effort on part of so many. And thanks to our home team who kept our house, 1 dog and 2 cats happy while we were gone - Sheila, Laura, Conner, David and Denise. They stepped in when we had to up and leave. (Of course I will never complain about 3 animals again=:) Many of you may not know that Carol, Larry, my brothers and I all grew up together in New Hope PA and experienced many similarities in early life. While now spread out across the country, we have been reminiscing a lot. (for instance, Carol was first girl my brother kissed... in elementary school). We will continue posting some pictures and thoughts along the way and encourage you to continue to share your memories as our family loves to read them. Carol, the last of the great pioneer women, had many friends and touched so many people in a positive way. We are touched by your warmth, friendship and grieving at her passing. May peace be with you all. Thank you. Judy and Larry Darnell
Posted on: Mon, 11 Nov 2013 05:44:39 +0000
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