....."this too shall pass" was her motto and she was always so mature for her years. She was my BFF, Shirlee Esplin that was taken away from us way too soon....36 years ago this month as she was heading home to say goodbye to her folks before heading up to Montana to be a nurse on an Indian Reservation she was killed in a terrible car accident. She was an amazing girl and signed up to be a Candy Striper at the hospital before I was even considering putting away my Barbie dolls and roller skates. More often than not, we would have to wait for her to get off work at the hospital before we could start the party. In this picture, she is in her working whites (far left) as we're celebrating something with our fake champaign. She always knew who she was and what she wanted in life and had boys following her around clear back in elementary school. I'm sure she was proposed to at least a dozen times and had actually broken up an engagement to pursue her dream of being a nurse and going to practice her craft where it would be meaningful. She was an amazing person.....we all knew her favorite colors, purple and yellow and her motto ('this too shall pass') and she always lived life to the fullest and didn't let anything pull her down. She had goals and fulfilled them....Rodeo Princess then Rodeo Queen. I got to accompany her to many parades and she had an amazing confidence that I always admired. She knew her animals and participated in stock shows around the area from a very young age. While the rest of us went to Dixie College, she headed to BYU where her nursing program was waiting for her. She was a beauty, inside and out.....gone too soon but left a legacy. Shirlee, I miss you. Come visit me again. (I used to have vivid dreams and feel like I'd had a wonderful adventure only to wake up and realize it was just a dream). If anyone happens to read this entry that has memories of Shirlee, please e-mail me at wells@infowest.com. Thanks.
Wednesday, October 15, 2008
Wisdom from Shirlee.....
....."this too shall pass" was her motto and she was always so mature for her years. She was my BFF, Shirlee Esplin that was taken away from us way too soon....36 years ago this month as she was heading home to say goodbye to her folks before heading up to Montana to be a nurse on an Indian Reservation she was killed in a terrible car accident. She was an amazing girl and signed up to be a Candy Striper at the hospital before I was even considering putting away my Barbie dolls and roller skates. More often than not, we would have to wait for her to get off work at the hospital before we could start the party. In this picture, she is in her working whites (far left) as we're celebrating something with our fake champaign. She always knew who she was and what she wanted in life and had boys following her around clear back in elementary school. I'm sure she was proposed to at least a dozen times and had actually broken up an engagement to pursue her dream of being a nurse and going to practice her craft where it would be meaningful. She was an amazing person.....we all knew her favorite colors, purple and yellow and her motto ('this too shall pass') and she always lived life to the fullest and didn't let anything pull her down. She had goals and fulfilled them....Rodeo Princess then Rodeo Queen. I got to accompany her to many parades and she had an amazing confidence that I always admired. She knew her animals and participated in stock shows around the area from a very young age. While the rest of us went to Dixie College, she headed to BYU where her nursing program was waiting for her. She was a beauty, inside and out.....gone too soon but left a legacy. Shirlee, I miss you. Come visit me again. (I used to have vivid dreams and feel like I'd had a wonderful adventure only to wake up and realize it was just a dream). If anyone happens to read this entry that has memories of Shirlee, please e-mail me at wells@infowest.com. Thanks.
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3 comments:
You know the saying "the good, they all die young"...well, in this case it is certainly true and the rest of us are left to live to be 100!
Thanks for your remembrances of Shirlee. I loved seeing the photos of her that Kathy sent, which I had never seen. She is an angel now and was one on earth as well. I used to feel it the greatest of compliments when occasionally people would ask if we were sisters. The only resemblance was our dark brown eyes - something I'm proud to share with her. I hope she is sharing good times with us. I miss her too and wish we could go for a ride in her black pick-up.
What a perfect description of from a wonderful friend, to a wonderful friend. You truly captured the special qualities we all loved in Shirlee. Thanks for the memories. I never see yellow and purple together without thinking of Shirlee and the great friends I am/was blessed to have.
Where are the pictures from Kathy that Diana refers to?
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