JACK AND DIANNE MERRILL—June 7, 1991
...Aureet was the kind of person who was involved with everyone and anyone she met.
She was petite in size with a voice that softly vibrated in the back of her throat and nasal passages. She had a small heart-shaped face framed by cascading chocolate curls and punctuated by a small, delicate jawline. Though she had wonderful teeth that changed everything, the features that drew your attention were her eyes. They had a green tinge to them with brown fringed lids and they were indeed that special almond shape that poets describe as exotic. If she kept silent, you would want to categorize her as "mysterious". How so far from the truth because the young woman that shared a walk with us for 21/2 years was vivacious, accomplished and strong-willed.
Her open and free-spirited manner defined her in quite a complete way. Few people could express their feelings of the day or emotions of the season as eloquently as Aureet. She honestly talked about her divorce and her difficult adjustment to single-life from married status that can thrust anyone into deep depression. With the same direct manner, she told about her trip to [New Orleans], almost as a lark, to attend a professional conference. She was fun-filled as she detailed her [southern] experiences - the opposite of what she had expected. I can recall the times she felt exhausted as she threw Flame his fetching sticks. She had to work so many late night shifts. She was a therapist by profession, and this was her introduction into the field. She also spoke with pride how she had recently published a paper which dealt with some important facets of interpersonal relations.
There are so many people who walk and play with their dogs at our field. We gather together and swap niceties of the day while our animals race within the shadow of the old Warren school building. But no one will ever draw me into her company as quickly and comfortably as Aureet, the young woman who was a poet, natural artist and avid pet owner. To write about her gives me some relief from the intense anger and grief that I feel at her loss. I will never feel accepting of her leaving our neighborhood so tragically. I do know that every step I take on our field will forge a memory of this warm, special person.
