1969 – 1994

WHEN I RECENTLY WAS WITH CELY ONE OF HER SONS ASKED ME “UNCLE LARRY, TELL ME SOME OF THE EARLY MEMORIES YOU HAVE OF MY MOM”.

I THOUGHT AND REALIZED THAT, OTHER THAN A CLOSELY KNIT FAMILY THAT DID MANY MANY THINGS TOGETHER, I HAD NO MEMORIES THAT IMMEDIATELY POPPED INTO MY HEAD.

CELY WAS IN THE CLASS AHEAD OF ME AT ST JOHN’S. SHE WAS AN HONOR STUDENT, BEST FEMALE ATHLETE, CAPTAIN OF THE VOLLEYBALL AND BASKETBALL TEAMS AND WAS ELECTED BY HER PEERS TO THE ASB. INTERESTINGLY, SHE NEVER SPOKE OF HER ACCOMPLISHMENTS. I REALIZED I COULD NEVER MEASURE UP…WITH ONE EXCEPTION…WE WERE IN THE SAME PHYSICS CLASS HER SENIOR YEAR AND I GOT A BETTER GRADE THAN SHE DID. BUT THE TECHNICAL SIDE OF LIFE WAS NEVER HER THING. SHE WAS MORE INCLINED TO PURSUE PHILOSOPHY, RELIGION AND POLITICS.

OUR PATHS SEPARATED FOR MANY YEARS, CELY BEING OVER SEAS OR IN WASHINGTON DC AND I FOLLOWING MY MEDICAL STUDIES OR IN A BUSY PRACTICE ON THE WEST COAST.

ONE MEMORY THAT DOES STAND OUT WAS A VALENTINE WEEKEND VACATION TO DEER VALLEY IN 1989. I HAD JUST REMET SUSAN AND INVITED BOTH SUSAN AND HER MOTHER BONNIE TO MY CONDOMINIUM. OF COURSE I WAS BRINGING LAURENCE WHO WAS ONLY THREE. BUT I ALSO INVITED CELY AND SHE HEARTILY AGREED.

LAURENCE ARRIVED ILL AND FUSSY. ON THE FIRST SKI RUN DOWN THE MOUNTAIN CELY FELL AND BROKE HER WRIST. I WAS THINKING THIS WOULD BE A DISASTROUS WEEKEND BUT CELY WITH HER ALWAYS POSITIVE ATTITUDE AND SUSAN WITH HER DECORATIONS LEADING THE WAY TURNED IT AROUND. THAT’S THE WEEKEND I ASKED SUSAN TO BE MY VALENTINE WITH CELY’S BLESSING.

HOWEVER, THE MEMORIES THAT ARE MOST INGRAINED IN MY HEAD AND WHAT BROUGHT CELY AND I TOGETHER YEAR AFTER YEAR WAS THE FAVROT FUND. CELY BROUGHT HER HEART AND SOUL TO THESE MEETINGS. INTERNATIONAL ISSUES; SUPPORTING A SCHOOL IN INDIA, PARKS IN NEPAL, POPULATION COMMUNICATIONS INTERNATIONAL, WORLD WILDLIFE FUND, DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS, NATURAL RESOURCE DEFENSE COUNCIL. EACH PROJECT SHE PRESENTED WAS ASSOCIATED WITH INDIVIDUALS SHE GOT TO KNOW VERY PERSONALLY, SOME BECOMING DEEP LASTING FRIENDSHIPS. HER PRESENTATIONS WERE VERY PASSIONATE EVEN, RARELY, TO THE POINT OF TEARS. IT WAS SO CLEAR SHE WANTED TO MAKE THE WORLD A BETTER PLACE. UNFORTUNATELY, SHE COULD GO ON AND ON SO AS CHAIR, I WOULD HAVE TO REMIND HER TO FINISH UP.

LET ME END BY DESCRIBING MY SISTER AS I CHERISH HER:

LOVE OF FAMILY.
LOVE OF PEACE.
KIND.
GENEROUS.
VERY SELF EFFACING.
WITH A PASSION FOR THE GREATER GOOD OF ALL.

MY DEAR SISTER, YOUR QUALITIES WILL NOT GO UNFORGOTTEN AS THEY LIVE IN EACH OF US.

Favrot Siblings at Amie & Patrick’s Wedding 2015