Carl’s Tribute on Instagram
My mom was peerless. She was an artist, graphic designer, architect, vocabulary fiend, fluent Spanish speaker, co-created an entire village in Portland, was an incredible athlete and, of course, she was a phenomenal mother, grandmother, sister, wife, and friend to everyone.
She was a total jock. She started running marathons at the age of 40. A speed demon on a SUP board. She was ultra-competitive at bocce ball - even with a glass of Rombauer in her hand. She knew her way around a wiffleball bat at a Stanford Football Tailgate. Could not only bait her own line but also reeled in some great fish in Baja. Water skied on Lake Tahoe with absolute grace. Surfed better than I. Met Rick at an advanced ski class in CO and upon retirement they spent 6 years living on a 67 foot sailboat …no crew. But all of her athletic achievements pale compared to one - she was a monster on the ping pong table. Her dad and 3 brothers cut her no slack when she was growing up. She showed me a similar amount of charity. In her final days I told her that in our lifelong rivalry she was ahead and most my wins came after I’d “accidentally” ordered a 2nd pitcher of IPAs. We both laughed hard enough that we snorted because we both knew it was true.
But no memory about my Mom would be complete without the mention of what made her TRULY special - how much she cared about others and how much they, in turn, cared about her. 40 years as the Son of Sarah meant my whole life I felt like I was a member of the entourage of a Star. She will be missed by so many because she selflessly gave so much of herself to everyone around her. She was the pure manifestation of Joy. Even though it’s trite it’s true: she lit up every room she entered.
It feels unfair that she only lived for 71 years. But in that short time she managed to live 2-3 lifetimes of adventure. And in that short time she managed to make 2-3 lifetimes of an impact on others. When it comes to the Mom Lottery it feels unfair…I hit the absolute jackpot. Since she left us on the 20th I’ve felt as much pride and appreciation as I have sadness. When it comes to a life well lived she set the bar high. It’s going to be fun trying to match her mark ♥️
