Dee on the left

One year ago today, my Dear Friend, Dee died. She loved New Orleans and all things beautiful.
This is for Dee:

Dianne Mader Boyne Savoie, Miss Louisiana, Charter School Creator, mother, daughter, teacher, friend, Dee.

You spent your time helping others increase their self-esteem.

You spent your time here encouraging all of us and holding up a mirror so that we might see our own beauty.

How many people have you reached? A multiple.

Dee you loved to entertain, and make others feel comfortable and welcomed.

Let all of us remember that the next time we invite others into our homes.

Let us hold a perfect reflection of them up so that our guests feel blest by our presence.

Let us smile more, a ……..big show your teeth smile.

Let us breathe deeper;

Let us expand our mind;

Let us pray more….

These are ways that we might honor Dee.

She would want us all to walk out of this place with our shoulders back, our heads up. So here’s my poem to you:

Sister, mother, teacher, friend.

Noble woman warrior;

A mug of community,

Dashed with steamed almond milk,

Stirred with love.

Dee heaped on the love!

Setting the mug next to the flowers.

How she loved flowers!

Rosie's roses;

Rows of crepe myrtles;

Porches filled with plants.

She nurtured us.

Like her plants:

“Are you tired, hungry, angry?

Sit down, have a cup;

Glass of wine;

Rest, and tell me what happened.”

I will sorely miss you sister.

Not here to adjust my wardrobe;

Not here to tell my secrets to;

But, you do still hear:

Only now without the pain.

Rest dear One.

I see your smile in the roses

I hear your laughter in the rain

I taste your guidance in the cup.

Thank you for the lessons.

I will live more,

Worry less,

And be truer to myself.

So the next time that you sit quietly with your coffee cup or glass of wine, raise your eyes to heaven and thank God that you had the privilege of knowing this great lady.

Thank you Dee for gracing our lives with your beautiful presence. We all are better people because we knew you.