This was a woman who was passionate about loving God and loving people. Passionate about experiencing all the world’s richness through her five senses. Passionate about being a force for good wherever she was and in whatever way she could. Passionate about expressing God’s truth and beauty through art.

I don’t know where to begin or where to stop. She was the girl with the flaxen hair, spreading light with each step. Those who knew her understand what I mean.

Now she’s the lucky one, freed from her pain and more fully alive than ever before.

I look forward to seeing her again.

all i can say is, i will never be the same without her.

she brought out the best in those around her, including me. i am grateful beyond measure to have walked beside her for the past 4 years- with angela, life was always an adventure.

i love her still, with all my heart.

the only comfort i can find is in these simple words:

e’ finito.

that’s italian for: it’s finished. it’s over. it’s done.

angela’s flown away now, the little bird’s journey finally culminating in the ending she sought so hard after- the light and warmth of Our Father’s love enveloping her more completely than she ever imagined it could.

i still hear her lilting song in my ears; i’ll be hearing that singular tune forevermore…

Her generous spirit was also a wonderful testimony to the love and strength in her parents.

Blessed are you O God who are “deeply moved in spirit and troubled” just as we are are and more so. Amen.

-Canon Henry Scott-Holland

Beautiful girl, free, waiting for us for an interval… We will miss your contagious smile, your unabashed worship your pure heart and so many more things that were just ‘YOU’. Beautiful YOU.

I will spend these days thinking of the why and how of your life. The seeds that you planted that I have the pleasure of watching grow to maturity. Thank you my friend.

I loved her as a roommate and as a friend. I cannot wait to see her again. Until then, I will try to live my life with as much passion and love for God as she did.

And I will cherish the memories I have of her. And I will laugh fondly at all the crazy stunts she persuaded me to do. I will laugh. I will cry. I will be consoled with knowing Angela is now with her true Love.

Oh, this life can be so painful but I am reminded that it’s just a breath, a phrase, a beat in a neverending musical score that the Lord has orchestrated. Soon we will be with Him physically, like Angela is now, and there will be no more mourning, no more pain, no more tears. What hope we have to cling to, we must cling to.

I will miss you terribly my dear friend, we had so many more adventures planned…

For a long time my constant prayer for Angela was that God would heal her, and that He would give her Peace, Joy, Wisdom, and Strength. Now that she is gone, we must pray that prayer for each other. I know that God has answered those prayers beyond what I had ever imagined. She has been made complete, whole, perfect.

Life will never be the same without her, but I feel like we should keep Angela’s memory alive in our hearts by doing some of the things she did. Take a homeless man for a meal. Go cliff jumping. Go camping with four people, but food for ten. Spend a few hours with a friend just reading the Bible and praying. Be open about your feelings, speaking from your heart, not your head. Bring someone a birthday cake. Invite a group of people over for a feast, but don’t let them help with the dishes. Watch the rain. Tell a stranger something that you noticed about them. Go for a 50-mile bike ride. Go up to the North Shore over the weekend, stopping at every place that suits your fancy. Go swimming in Lake Superior. Dance, for we do not grieve as those who have no hope, but we know we will dance with Angela before our Creator.

She had invited me to spend a day with her at Interstate Park. We rented bikes, and that day I saw a lot of Angela’s back. (She did not understand the term “leisurely pace.”) Once, we were riding down a hill and she saw a large turtle on the side of the road. I figured he was slowly making his way somewhere and didn’t need our interference. Angela thought otherwise. She insisted we take the turtle with us and deposit him in a stream or pond. So she picked him up, wrapped him in a blanket and placed him in *my* backpack. Eventually we found a small body of water, and Angela gently returned the turtle to his new home. She watched him for a few minutes until she was satisfied he was going to be okay, then we moved on.

After a while, Angela told me she wanted to show me this “great spot” that I just “had to see.” I didn’t realize the spot was on top of a massive hill, and the only route there was a narrow, slippery trail. (Remember, we had two bikes with us.) After much huffing and puffing, we finally reached our destination. Angela was right; the view was stunning. But that wasn’t all.

“See that cliff over there?”

“Yes, there’s a fence preventing people from going to the edge. It looks dangerous.”

“My parents used to dive off that cliff. Let’s go!”

My preservation instinct kicked in, and I wisely refused. Angela, however, did what I knew she would do all along.

Later we sat on a ledge, wrapped in our towels and taking in an absolutely breathtaking vista. The conversation turned to spiritual things, as it often did. But mostly we just sat quietly, marveling at the scene before us.

Angela was compassionate, she was adventurous, and she loved nature. I am sure these traits will serve her well in her new home.

I am confused about the whole situation. If someone who knew Angela could contact me, it would be helpful and appreciated.

Tiffany.corrine.dow [Email address: Tiffany.corrine.dow (AT) gmail.com - replace (AT) with @ ]

Thank you,
Tiffany