Our dear friend Cathy Skinner has died from complications of cancer treatment, and we’re all devastated. Cathy found out she had pancreatic cancer about a year ago. She tried so many ways to fight it, including a big-deal surgery, and it didn’t work to get her through to the other side of this pandemic lockdown, where we all hoped we’d see her again.
I don’t even understand: how can Cathy be gone? I have a book to return to her, it’s her turn in our online word game, and she’s still ahead of me in Candy Crush despite quitting it months ago. Who’s going to call Dave “butt-head” in an oh-so-loving way, when he needs to hear it? Who else was willing to talk to Bruce about Pokémon Go?
So many things are just off in our world without her. She was a key member of our weekly group, called the Planning Committee, because we would dream up adventures together, like going to Scotland. The group assembled from our days as parents at the French school down the road, where our boys were buds.
I wouldn’t have an art career without her support. She introduced me to local artist June Sekiguchi, who encouraged me to join artEAST in Issaquah, and was supportive of both of us, at every step.
At least every week, we’d share ideas for books and TV shows, compare notes on good games, and trade anything that made us laugh. I’m still reeling, and I can’t imagine how her immediate family, her extended network of relatives, and her wide circle of friends are going to manage without her constant support and friendship.
As I parse the grief, and all the many times I think of her each day, I think of how she made our world better, and I ask myself: “What would Cathy do?” May we all have as good a friend in our lives at some point.