Friends Part II

Now for Friends Part II. Please forgive me the picture, Cherie. It was the only one I could find. Dean took it when you had us over to your house December 2004. We need to take more pictures when we go out to eat!! Cherie Hopper

Cherie and I have a unique story we share. I was working at the VA with a friend of hers and Cherie called one day to talk to her. This friend was having many difficulties and because she wasn’t around, Cherie and I started talking on the phone. We were “phone friends” for about a year before we decided to get together and actually meet. Talking on the phone was so easy with her and I really enjoyed our conversations. When we finally met face to face, I knew I had a good friend. Over the years, we have had so many small world stories between us. She works with my brother at City Hall. Her niece was employed by my church as our youth director. Her sister is married to the brother of a good friend of Bernie’s. Seems like quite often in our conversation, we come up with small world events. Just recently, her good friend died of cancer. This friend’s son is married to Reed Campbell’s sister. Small world. Of course, with the Baiers, this had been a routine thing. Today, Cherie and I email back and forth at work every day. It is always a bright spot in my day to see that I have a message from her. We continue to go out with a group of friends (some she works with, also Nelda and Janine) and I have made new friends through her. We really miss our friend Gloria, who Cherie worked with and I got to know through her, who moved to Aberdeen to be closer to her daughter and get help with her struggle with Alzheimers. Cherie and I are making all kinds of plans to maintain our friendship in our retirement. I’m so lucky to have Cherie Hopper as a friend and I treasure her friendship!