It was Thanksgiving day 2022 when I started to write this. My brother Andy and I finished having duck, mashed potatoes, fried sauerkraut, and Brussel sprouts for dinner… when it hit me – this will be the first Thanksgiving since Rita was born that I won’t have her “nearby”, alive, cheerful, and full of all the great things she was to everyone. I feel deep remorse in losing all that is her and then guilt for not “finding” time to post pictures and write at least a small eulogy of her. But it’s been hard. Really hard. That means I have to fully acknowledge that my baby sister isn’t here anymore. Sure, she’s with mom, ReeRee, and Don and a few others. But I keep having impulses to call her, but I can’t. I cannot share my thoughts, happy, sad, angry, or otherwise with her anymore.

The day before Rita passed. we spoke via an Alexa video call (not an endorsement, just a fact) and discussed her upcoming trip to Kansas City for Halloween. She was saying how she looked forward to that and how much fun it would be (I posted a picture of her from a previous Halloween). That video call was in the evening of September 23. She said she was really tired, so she spoke to me while lying on her bed, the same bed she would take a nap on the next day to never awaken again. The thoughts of that are so surreal now. We also discussed Christmas,  which we will never share another together again.

I hope her friends will embellish this simple eulogy with their thoughts and fondest memories of her. I’m sure she will read them and smile too.

I miss you sis. I’m sorry I didn’t see all your pain, but you can rest now sis. Say hi to ReeRee and mom. I love you. See you later.

Addendum: I am finally posting this. My brother Andy was really sick and went through a lot but he’s better now. There’s been lots of distractions, and I finally got around to posting this.