On October 8, 2022 the Drages, Franklins, Waites, Kobasics, Grazianos, Meldrums, Merklins, Caprettas, Hesses and Shauls got together at Dan and Lee Waite’s beautiful home in Charlotte to celebrate Ruth’s life. She would have loved seeing cousins meeting each other for the first time and playing with each other as if they had been life long friends.
 

It was a glorious autumn day, and Dan and Lee’s yard was the perfect setting to reminisce, laugh and cry. We held a brief memorial service, because Ruth would have insisted on that. We had plenty of time afterward to enjoy each other’s company, watch OSU football and playoff baseball (ironic considering Ruth’s lack of interest in either sport). Thanks to Dan and Lee, we ate and drank copious amounts of food and beverages. A good time was had by all.
 

As people left the memorial they were given yellow tulip bulbs with the expectation that they would take them home and plant them as mementos of that wonderful day and as a living memorial to Ruth. This is the first spring since we lost Ruth, and those bulbs are starting to bloom.