REMEMBERING MY FRIEND BETH

By Rosalie Byrd

I met Beth through our mutual work in genealogy. We both happen to have a query about the Jessup family on a Genealogy Forum and made contact through email. Although Beth's connection to the Jessup family was rather roundabout, her main surname interest being the Cox family, the Quaker Jessup family turned out to be our obsession. The family was pretty well documented already with a wealth of history and stories, all one had to do was find the bits and pieces. And we sure did that! I bet no two people ever spent as much time researching and sharing information on one family as we did. And what fun we had sometimes, when facts were sketchy, making up stories about this Quaker family laughing our self's silly. While we took license with facts between the two of us, Beth would never record information for a family unless it was verified three ways from Sunday, she was very meticulous with her records. How many times did she say to me "Sources, sources, sources. Rosalie, you have to cite sources!" I ended up with a lot of my sources being: Beth Rowe. I knew they were accurate.

Of course, as with all lasting friendships as they develop, our friendship changed course and direction as time went on and we became quite close. We shared our joys, problems, frustrations and sorrows. We remembered each other's birthdays, doctor appointments, likes and dislikes in food, and pet's names. We gave each other advice, support and feedback on various issues in our lives. We mailed stuff to each other. Just before one Christmas Beth kept kidding me about all the pecan pies I was making and freezing. I up and mailed her one without mentioning it to her. Was she ever surprised when she opened the box.

Beth was there for me through my husband's three heart attacks and prostate cancer. I'll never forget the cards, real and cyber, during those times. I was there for her when she suffered with the pain of a torn shoulder cuff and her several surgeries. I sympthised with her over her car problems, house problems, yard problems and neighbor problems. Although, with her sense of humor, I don't know if she needed sympathy. She usually had me rocking in my chair with her description of the things that happened in her daily life. Beth hated snakes with a passion and one time she discovered she had a family of them living under her home. The description of her ongoing feud with this snake family and their eventual removal by a neighbor was an absolute classic.

We spent hours on the phone, each trying to out talk the other. I think she won. Once I introduced her to the 5 cent a minute calling program our phone time tripled! I found the best way to talk to Beth on the phone was standing up. Easier to laugh that way. After a phone session with Beth my sides were always aching.

I loved Beth very much and feel like her friendship was indeed one of those that was a blessing in my life and a precious gift. I will miss her for a long time.