Family ties and Judy's sense of humor

Judy and her sister Susan are my cousins. We didn't get to know each other very well when we were younger because we lived so far apart (N.M and N.Y.) After Judy and Cy were married, Judy and I began corresponding by email every now and then. I truly enjoyed reading her emails, the writing style was so beautiful and unique. Parts of those emails made me laugh out loud. I would leave them in my inbox and re-read them and enjoy them over and over. I felt like we were finally establishing that "family" bond. We were talking about an extended family reunion someday, maybe in Oklahoma where our parents and ancestors had lived. I guess we both realized the importance of working to establish and maintain family ties.

When I visited Judy and Cy with my brother Lenny and my children in the summer of 2006 , we had a great time and spent time with Judy's family. When we were taking family photos, Judy cracked me up with a comment. As we were smiling and trying to look our best for the photo, Judy advised, "One chin per person!"

I will miss Judy, and I'm glad I got to know her better. I wish we had more time together.