As each year came and went,my problems increased,but there were some good events that helped me keep sane.

First, when I went to my first meeting at the Village, new people were asked to introduce themselves, and I did at the first Monday morning coffee information meeting that was held each week. Many came over to say "hi" but one in particular stayed and chatted a bit. Since I drove to (very short streets here) the ballroom and she did not drive, I offered to drive her to her home which was one of the first Condos in a different section. This started a long and wonderful friendship even closer than sisters. Her name was Angie and she was a tad shorter than me.

Her sister had passed away quite awhile before we met and mine was in Mass., which added to the need for one another. Angie, a devout Catholic, was married to a Jewish man who really was not brougt up in the faith. He believed in GOD, but that was about it. Angie adored her mother-in-law and along with her Italian cooking took on traditional Jewish dishes as well. Her faith carried me through many difficult times that followed and I shall tell you about each one at a later date. She was one in a million, five years older than me, but young in spirit. She had two married daughters and 7 grandchildren when we met which of course grew.

She taught me the New York way of playing Mah Jongg, and headed two groups of fun: 1) Shop till you drop (before we had a shopping mall close by) and 2) arranged for a bus to one of the Indian Casinos once a month. The first year I was there, she and her husband would call me to take me to McDonalds for ice cream in hot evenings. Her husband did not like food shopping so I would take her, and later on another friend whose husband passed away that first year I was there. I met two or three others who also became fast friends.

The couple who brought me to Az. was with another group - and had wonderful parties. They made sure I was invited - so I had two terrific groups of friends those first years.

I missed my sister very much. When her husband died so young in 1980, Mel and I took her with us many times. Then when Mel passed away six years later, my sister and I were on the phone daily, since I was still working and we went out together as often as we could.

My sister was a hoot! I was sent away for a full summer in 1934 when my sister was born on June 28th. She was a gorgeous baby with blonde hair and green-blue eyes. We were still living in the flat and the people downstairs spoiled her even more than we did. She used to follow me around all of the time, and was a real devil.

When we moved to Chestnut Hill, she was old enough to go to school where she was the class clown. She had perfect pitch and played the piano at age five - usually trying to copy what I was playing or singing. She was very angry at me leaving her long days since High School was so far away, and when I went to college, she was really angry. She did not get along with my mother and kept saying I "left her alone with that witch on purpose!". She sang at the High School, the same one I attended, and she literally talked her way into Endicott Junior College majorng in medicine, and became an excellent medical secretary. She told my Dad and I that the school NEEDED her talents as a perfomer. She took a few lessons, but could play and sing any song. She was outspoken and loved to show off. She was beautiful - no question about that.

As I told you before, we were married two and a half months apart. She insisted on being married at age 19 (two days before her 20th birthday) and she married a pharmacist. She loved medicine and read all of his books. Right after they were married, he was drafted, drove to Kentucky where she had some dreadful experiences, and when he left for Japan, returned to live with our parents. After his two-year hitch, he came back home and my father (who was always so wise) made them go on a second honeymoon to get to know each other again. Sometimes her husband was as nuts as she was.

Four years after my son was born, she gave birth to a daughter gaining over 40 pounds. She kept gaining weight, but her husband wanted another child and four years and 80 pounds later, she gave birth to a gorgeous son. (We found out that Hal - her husband, had tampered with his protection so she could be pregnant.) She was so angry that he did not give her time to loose weight that he went to a Dr. for that operation where men can no longer have children.

She was still extremely pretty, even with the weight, and wanted to entertain like her big sister did. She auditioned at a Rhode Island Night Club and got a job to sing every weekend with a young man. Her husband was VERY jealous. Not only then, but always and kept bringing her ice cream sundaes, and rich desserts which she adored to keep her heavy. He even put on a disguise and went to the night club (his mother sat with the children) to"keep an eye on her". Their way of life was quite different from ours: we rarely had family fights, and I hated swear words. In their home, everyone did their own thing and it was hectic. They played, they loved, and they hated all at the same time. WEIRD! Oh, I forgot to tell you that she was the tallest in my family: 5'5". My Dad was 5'4" and my mother was five feet.

My sister loved to be the center of attraction. and when we went to Florida to try to save our mother's life, we would go out to eat and she would walk down to our table with her arm under the head waiter's, head held high as if she were a real celebrity. As I said before: My Sister Was a Hoot!

But she was a sick hoot. She had many ailments, and a heart condition. When she sold her house and moved, we only talked on the phone, and saw each other as often as we could. The place she selected had only trailer type homes (without wheels). She started to make friends, but when people found out she was Jewish, they became quite nasty. I mean real NASTY! They sent horrid letters and no need to write more, but her life was not pleasant. Her son, now a Doctor (and believe me, she pulled him through with her knowledge), was married and her daughter was also married - both living quite a distance. When I moved to Az. she finally told me she had been "staining" for a very long time. but did nothing about it. Then, suddenly she could not eat. This went on for years. All she could tolerate were some cling peaches and of all things: Chinese Food.

She ran out of money, and since I was AT THAT TIME, quite lucky at the Casino sent her a percentage of my winnings. In the year 1997, she wrote me a letter saying she had cancer and too far along for an operation. We talked long distance every day. I insisted that my Dr. nephew watch over her, and her daughter was there for her anyway, Near the end, I flew to be with her for a week at the special place she was sent to. She was well aware of what was happening and still very sharp and her usual funny self. The nurses all adored her. They tried everything to make her happy. I had purchased a 4-trip senior ticket so I could be with her alive and afterwards. She wanted to end her life but it was really close to her birthday. I spoke to her daughter and her mother-in-law to give her a birthday party and her son (who now had a daughter) have his in-laws and all be there and videotape it. They did do it, the day before her birthday, I called her on June 28th, 1997 and she told me she was "doing it". All I could say was" sleep, baby, sleep". (I did tell her before I left that she COULD NOT die on her birthday). My niece stayed with her and she woke up at 11:45 p.m. and asked what time it was.also saying she would wait since she promised. AT 12:15 a.m. June 29th she passed away.

My son flew in for the funeral, and we had a graveside service. My remaining Aunt (age 92) came as did some cousins. My niece did a great job in calling people. She was laid to rest in the area where the four of us purchased soon after we were married. I said goodbye to her,my husband and my brother-in-law knowing that would be the last time I saw Sharon Memorial Park since I am the last one alive. We visited my parents' grave sight and left.

I turned and said goodbye to:

Lorraine Judith Katz (professional name: Laure Kaye) June 28, 1934 - June 29th, 1997.

When I returned, I found out the wonderful friends who brought me to Az. had their home up for sale and were leaving. Life has its twists and turns, and mine were still about to turn once more,

Thank you for reading about my beautiful sister. She loved a special kind of chocolate and as promised, my niece had a small box set beside her in her coffin. She was still beautiful with her blonde hair long around her face. But, alas, one could no longer see those gorgeous eyes, her green-blue eyes.

Hope the next will not take so long to come to you. Between the Az. heat and a very difficult attack of Fibromyalgia, I could not physically sit for a long time to compose this chapter I so wanted you all to read - about my sister! Tough times still awaited me --- oh well. That's life!

Marian