Goodbye, CactusWendy, we love you

Rowan

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I haven't been here on a regular basis for quite some time but I do have fond memories of CactusWendy from my early days. She was one of the sweetest and most welcoming members and her kindness will not be forgotten.

I'm so sorry for your loss, Larissa. May your mother find her "Summerland" and be at peace. I wish you and your family well during this difficult time.
 

Lavern08

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I'm sure Wendy is standing next to St. Peter now...

...she's smiling and handing out bags of Popcorn to the Newbies. ;)

See ya later, sweet tater. :Hug2:
 

KTC

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So sorry to hear of Wendy's passing. She was always so sweet and kind to me. What a lovely person she was...a true testament to kindness. I will miss her friendly presence around AW. )-:
 

Ketzel

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Such sad news. I'll miss you, Wendy. Yours was a rare, kind spirit.
 

Stacia Kane

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I've been offline for a bit and have just now seen this.

I wish I hadn't. :cry:


Larissa, please accept my sympathies for you and your family, and know that we all loved Wendy, and she will be sorely missed. There were many occasions where I'd scroll through a thread and see her name and avatar and stop, because I knew that if Wendy was saying it, it was worth reading.

She mattered to me. She mattered to all of us. We are better people for having known her, even just online.
 

WordCount

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Whenever I took the time to greet the newcomers (hardly ever), it would always be nice to see Wendy's comments. She wasn't someone I talked to regularly on AW, but she was someone I'd see from time to time, and was always a friendly face.

You're in my prayers, Wendy. I hope your final hours are peaceful.
 

mscelina

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I've been thinking about Wendy a lot today, because I saw something in her that I can't identify in many other people and most certainly not in myself. I don't think I'll ever stand around with welcoming bags of popcorn, but I know that every time I see a newbie thread, I will think of Wendy and what she was to every single person within this writers' community.
 

clintl

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I'm very sorry to hear of your mother's passing, Larissa. Wendy was a wonderful member of AW, and we're going to miss her very much.
 

cray

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even with nuances of the internet a good heart has the ability to reveal itself.

rip, wendy.
 

Diana W.

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I'm sorry for your loss, Larissa. I know what you're going through. I wish I'd taken the time to get to know Cactus Wendy better. But I do know she greeted me when I joined several years ago. I'm sure she's meeting and greeting newbies in heaven now. With a bag of popcorn for each new arrival.
 

ladyleeona

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I'm sure Wendy is standing next to St. Peter now...

...she's smiling and handing out bags of Popcorn to the Newbies. ;)

See ya later, sweet tater. :Hug2:

Popcorn just the way you want it, too.

Vaya con dios, Wendy.

We miss you.
 

Chasing the Horizon

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Aw, while I didn't really know CactusWendy, like so many I was welcomed to AW by her and have enjoyed reading her posts here over the years.

I'm sure she has received as warm a welcome on the other side as she gave so many of us.
 

Jess Haines

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Oh no... :( I didn't know Wendy well, but I have seen her posts, and she seemed like a very lovely person.

Very sad to hear this. My thoughts are with her and her family.
 

seaaircarol

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So sorry to hear this. Hugs and best wishes to her family.
 

bluntforcetrauma

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Hello,
It's Larissa, I would like you thank everyone for the warm thoughts.I never knew this part of my Mothers life. I feel blessed to have glimpsed into it.

My Mom passed last evening,she was surrounded by her 2 children and granddaughter.
She suffered from COPD. I urge anyone who currently smokes to think hard about how you will die. No should have to spend the last moments of their life this way. Priorities and perspectives have been changed. Life is to short to hate. Love and charish every minute with the ones you love. I miss her already!
Thanks for being a great community to my Mommy......
Larissa

You are missed, Wendy--such a permanent fixture at AW, and now you've gone home. I love you.
 

Alan Yee

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I didn't know Wendy as well as some of the other AWers knew her, but I always liked her and saw her posts all over the place for the past 6-7 years I've been on AW. She was one of those posters you always remembered, not for anything specific, but just because she was always there. It's very hard for me to explain, but she had a very special kind of presence. She was always quick to offer warm thoughts and kind words (and virtual popcorn) whenever anyone needed them. Whenever I was going through a rough patch and needed to vent, she was always there. I didn't know her very well personally, but it was obvious she had a huge heart and cared a lot about her fellow community members. I'll definitely miss her presence on these boards.
 

Brutal Mustang

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Oh man. It always blew me away how she was in there greeting the steady stream of newbies, day after day, week after week, year after year.
 

Susan Coffin

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I was so sad to hear about Cactus Wendy. I will never forget out welcoming she was, and how her kindness shone through her postings. And, the popcorn.

Rest in Peace, sweet Wendy.
 

writerterri

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Losing a mom is hard and I'm so sorry. Yes, we all loved her. I had a few intimate conversations with her about our diseases. We both agreed that it wasn't fun but as long as we could have fun it was keeping us sane. And we both agreed that posting at AW had a way with keeping us connected with life. I've always said that AW is more than a writers board, it's a family, a community where love abounds.

This is especially hard for me because I have COPD too but not because of smoking though I did smoke briefly. I got asthma from second hand smoke and air pollution. I was raised the in San Gabriel Valley where the pollution settled and then everyone smoked in my house, grand parents house and my dad's house. Then I went to be a Cosmetology school and the chemicals ruined the lining of my lungs and I now have COPD.

There are no adequate words to describe the suffering from COPD no matter how you get it. One could put themselves in a tight straitjacket and breath from a straw for a week if you get curious though.

Rest, Wendy, and breath. See you!