Carol is a Ladybug

I lost my dear friend Carol to cervical cancer six months ago.

To honor Carol and to raise money for Cervical Cancer Awareness, I have created these Artotes. Proceeds from each bag sold will be donated to the National Cervical Cancer Coalition.

Cervical cancer is nearly 100 percent preventable, yet according to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 13,000 new cases of invasive cervical cancer will be diagnosed in 2002 and about 4,100 women will die of the disease. The good news is that cervical cancer is preventable and curable if it is detected early; in fact, the occurrence of deaths from cervical cancer has declined significantly over the last 20 to 30 years

To ensure no one else loses a mother, sister, wife or friend from this disease, I will be donating the proceeds from these bags so that women can be screened and vaccinated.

And if it's time for your PAP smear--pick up the phone! If you have a teen-aged daughter--get her vaccinated!

Why is Carol a Ladybug?
Carol's nickname (one of them, anyway) is Ladybug. Shortly after her death, reports of ladybug swarms began pouring in from her friends. All over the country, people are being "visited" by ladybugs. We take great comfort from the visits and consider them signs that Carol is still with us. From a ladybug book jumping into a giftgivers hands at the bookstore to ladybug stamps at Disneyland, so many of us have been visited by our Ladybug .

Carol's gift for generosity and creativity was truly astonishing. I wanted to create something that would capture her spirit and spread the Ladybug Love. One trip to the fabric store and it came together instantly. I hope the little artists of this world can grow up in a world where no one dies from cervical cancer.

with thanks and ladybug love,
Megan

Memory Wall

If you are planning to attend Carol's Memorial on Wednesday, please bring a picture of Carol, a picture carol took, or a story to share on the Memory wall we are creating. If you cannot attend on Wednesday, but would still like to participate, you can email your contributions to me at meganecwilliams@comcast.net.

We are looking forward to seeing you.

Carol's Memorial Fund

So many people are asking how they can help. Carol's influence live inside each of us. Here are some things that have been set up.

Carol Geddes Memorial Fund
Redwood Credit Union
Account number 334728
1055 West College Ave, Suite A
Santa Rosa, CA 95401.
Thanks to Steve Thunen and Tom Gibson for setting that up.

The Organic Dish
http://www.theorganicdish.com/glenandcarol
You can get gift certificates for Glen online.
Thanks to Beckie Carrico Hemmerling for setting that up.

And of course, Forgotten Felines or the Humane Society of the United States.

Carol's Obituary

Carol Marie Geddes, friend, lover, wife, daughter, sister, and doting auntie, was suddenly, unjustly and tragically cut down by a bastard of a disease known as cancer shortly before 8pm on 09/15/09 in Santa Rosa, CA at the very young age of 40. She is survived by her "Woobiee", Glen Uber of Santa Rosa, CA; mother, Cynthia Geddes of Grand Junction, CO; brother, James Geddes of Franklin, TN; sister, Jessica Geddes of Grand Junction, CO; niece & nephew, Jenna & Jackson Pierce, of Grand Junction, CO; and nephew Skylar Uber of Santa Rosa, CA. Also wholeheartedly grieving her passing are her beloved in-laws, Susan & Rick Sterner and Darrel Uber & Mary Bettiga, all of Santa Rosa, CA, and Jason & Amy Uber of Plano, TX. Her extended California family includes Bill & Sharon Hawes of Santa Rosa, CA, Billy Hawes of Petaluma, CA, and Daryle, Lisa, Travis & Connor Hawes of Queen Creek, AZ. She also leaves behind numerous friends whom she loved and adored without reservation. She was predeceased by her father, Lawrence James Geddes, and her grandparents, Edward & Caroline Knizley, and Rosemary Misunus. She was born 1/3/69 in Garden Grove, CA, and spent her childhood in Southern California, Kansas, and Colorado. She graduated from Fruita Monument High School in 1988 and returned to California a year later. She was a photographer and worked for numerous photo labs and camera shops in her life, most recently at Shutterbug. On 09/23/96, she met the love of her life, Glen, and they were married on Leap Day of 2000 in Las Vegas. They held a celebration of their marriage for friends and family on 09/23/00, four years to the day after they met. Carol was an avid cyclist and cycling fan and looked forward to the Tour de France every year. She was, inexplicably, a Broncos fan and loved nothing more than rooting them on against Glen's Raiders. She had a deep connection and bod with many animal throughout her life. Among her many hobbies were traveling, car shows, beer festivals, camping, museums, watching movies, knitting, playing poker, reading, and listening to music, especially classic punk, ska, new wave, the Beatles, Ricky Nelson, and Buddy Holly. Her favorite place in the world was Disneyland and she had the good fortune of celebrating her 40th birthday there with Glen and their dear friends, Nathan, Megan, Steve, Gabrielle, and their children. Carol was never without her camera and spent nearly 30 years documenting the lives of the people she loved and the beauty she saw in the world around her. She was unique, feisty, tenacious, funny, sarcastic, witty, intelligent, beautiful, compassionate, empathetic, generous, vibrant, radiant, and completely unselfish when it came to giving of herself, her time, her talents, her heart, her mind, her spirit, and her love. A memorial service and joyous celebration of Carol's beautiful life are being held on Wednesday, September 23, the 13th anniversary of the day Glen and Carol began their forever journey. Other celebrations are being planned at a later date in Colorado. Information on the events, donations and contacts can be found at www.welovecarol.blogspot.com.

"And in the end, the love you take is equal to the love you make".

Some other bits

For Carol's service on Wednesday, please think "Carolwear". Punk rock, Converse sneakers, etc. Let me know if you have questions about this.

In lieu of flowers, Glen would like donation to be made to either Forgotten Felines
or the Humane Society of the United States.

Love to all,
Megan

She

She

May be the reason I survive
The why and wherefore I'm alive
The one I'll care for through the rough in ready years
Me
I'll take her laughter and her tears
And make them all my souvenirs
For where she goes I've got to be
The meaning of my life is

She
She, oh she


We will gather on Wednesday, September 23 at 1pm at Bodega Head. We will meet in the parking lot, then proceed down to Carol's favorite spot in California.

Hopefully, this beautiful place will heal some of our pain.


Directions to Bodega Head from Santa Rosa are as follows:

1. Take ramp for US-101 / Redwood Hwy South for 1.7 mi
2. Take ramp right for SR-12 / Luther Burbank Memorial Hwy West toward Sebastopol 6.7 mi Pass CHEVRON in 6.0 mi
3. Road name changes to Bodega Ave 10.7 mi
4. Turn right onto SR-1 5.6 mi Pass Unocal 76 in 4.6 mi
5. Turn left onto Eastshore Rd 0.3 mi
6. Turn right onto Bay Flat Rd 0.4 mi
7. Keep straight onto Westshore Rd 2.1 mi
8. Arrive at Bodega Head, CA on the right
9. 

Once we have finished here, we will gather at the Last Day Saloon at about 4 pm to share stories, eat, cry, drink, etc.

http://www.lastdaysaloon.com/
Click on General Info for directions