Jane " Rest in Peace"

Tuesday was different.  My good friend Freddy 36 years old, his daughter Kellia 8 years old, family, loved ones and friends attended the Memorial Service for his beautiful wife Jane 33 years old who died Jan. 5, 2010 of Leukemia.   Jane had been ill in and out of the hospital since last Spring but was not diagnosed with Leukemia until Dec. 30, 2009.  Her burial was Friday Jan. 9, 2010.  I was flying to Rwanda that day. I did attend the  Memorial Service and photographed for the family.  The church was packed inside and out, she was loved by many and will be missed greatly.

My personal experience with Jane is one that I will never forget. Freddy and Jane invited me to stay with them at their home in Ruhengeri (Musanze) in 2008. I stayed at their home for 5 days.  They turned me on to real home cooked Rwandan food, it was delicious.  Jane would ask me "When do you want to bathe?" I would respond "Oh maybe half an hour." I did not realize she wanted to know so she could heat the water for a hot bath.  We laughed, played, and had a lot of fun together.   We took photos, and one of the reasons I love being a photographer is I was able to capture beautiful portraits of Jane and Kellia.  The evenings were cooler, Jane loaned me a shawl, when I left she wanted me to keep the shawl to stay warm on cool nights.  I feel draped in her love, wearing her shawl, which I have wore many times since, and brought back to Rwanda. Her sharing and love will always be, as that is who Jane is. She loved her daughter Kellia and was a wonderful mother. She loved and is devoted to her Freddy, and I know her family and friends will miss her, but always remember her love, loyalty and devotion to her family, friends, old ones and even a stranger.  She gave me a room in her home, fed me, warmed my bath water, and kept me warm.  She is the kind of woman I aspire to be.  May you rest in Peace, you will never be forgotten.

 

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