Wednesday, July 05, 2006

Karen E. Negri Santoro

Karen,

I just realized that when you and Bob hired me as a part-time employee, that you were only two years older than I am right now! When I look back I am amazed at how much LIFE you have lived over the years...

Adam and I loved you guys very much, we were always trying to figure out how to get in contact with you over the years. Im not sure if you ever got it, but I sent a note to you guys when I got my first real job in the design world after college. I realize now that it must have been when you might have been pretty busy with expecting Dawson.

You were the first woman in my life, outside of family and church, that poured into me and encouraged me to take the path that greatly shaped me into the woman I am today. You took a high school kid who was fooling around with drafting and encouraged her to go further with it. I had only thought about Interior Design, but by allowing me to work with the two of you, I had an inside peak at the industry. I saw what a partnership looked like professionally and with regards to marriage. You always made me feel like I was an important part of the firm, I never just felt like an employee, whether drafting, thinning out Bob's magazines or painting the fence, I felt like I was part of the family, not just part of the business.

You guys were always living life to its fullest. I remember you guys off in the Cayman Islands, Honduras and a few other places, and that's only in the year and a half I worked for you!

You told me funny stories about your college years, something about 'borrowing' bulletin boards... I can't remember now exactly. You actually gave me a list of things NOT to do in school!

You took me seriously, when Ads and I broke up, you didn't treat it like a high school romance gone bad, you actually listened to me and gave me really good advice. You didn't just brush it off. You were very caring...

A month before Ads and I got married we tracked you down in Atlanta, Ga. We didn't have your phone number and from a pay phone , Adam called information and got the listing for every Robert Santoro in the book. Eventually we found what we hoped was you guys. We busted out the map and drove around until we found one of the houses. You and Bob were outside stripping paint off of the doors of the house. You looked up from your work and just stared at us until we got really close. Turns out you didnt have your glasses on and couldn't figure out who Bob was making such a fuss over. The funny thing was you guys didn't even live at this house, you were working on it to sell. We could have totally missed you guys that day! It was great catching up! I remember you saying that you wouldn't be able to come to our wedding because you were going to be just getting back from the Dominican Republic in celebration of you fifth(?) anniversary. That means you just celebrated your fourteenth a week ago....

Anyhow, you guys kept moving on, next was California. That awesome card you sent with the picture of you two in your new house. I remember it said that from the roof you could see the ocean looking forward and looking at the backyard, the mountains. It even had an orange tree in the yard! So many new beginnings.

A year ago I tried sending you a birth announcement for my son. It came back and I wondered if you guys had moved onto somewhere else. We always thought about you and Bob, wondering if you guys had started a family or not. I think I found online when I was trying to track you guys down that you were pregnant (with Dawson?) . It was when Bob was resigning from the Para-gliding club. I always thought it was funny that I could find that out from the meeting minutes but I couldn't find your address! You guys must have been so excited, and evidently, everyone else was excited for you also!

I had always hoped that we could surprise you guys again, by flying out to CA and just showing up again on your doorstep.... Im so sorry that I wont be able to see you again... My heart just hurts so much at that thought...

We are praying for Bob and Dawson with a desperation that you can only imagine. Im sure you know how many people loved you and will do anything for your family.

Thank you so much for so many funny, wonderful memories and for being such a beautiful person. Thank you for following your dreams and for showing me how to live life to its fullest. I could go on with so many stories...

May you find everlasting joy with your little one, Ian, in the arms of our Lord and Savior.

Peace to you...

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Thank You for your memories of Karen. I dated Karen junior year at Western Ct., and we were friends for years after(I remember ON Graphics-Bank Street, New Milford.) I hope she told you some Widow Brown's stories. We lost touch when she married, which is how it was meant to be, bur it was so nic eto connect with tha tpart of her life through your blog. May God bless you, Karen, and your family. madalykat@email.com

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