United in our Grief Forum.

Taken from a partial obituary of my friend, I let it for her blessed memory of her friendship, speak for itself.

(all personal information about her scholarship fund at the college and any numbers and personal e-mails were omitted)

Mimi (Maribeth) Stewart Born Christmas Day 1954, passed away Palm Sunday, April 5, 2009. A fighter all her life, Mimi came into the world 10 weeks early, spent her life in a wheelchair with quadriplegia cerebral palsy, and defied all odds by fighting colon cancer for almost four years. Always the pioneer, Mimi was one of the first students in the Palo Alto special education program designed for the physically challenged, and, upon graduation from Palo Alto HS, was one of the first students in a prototype program for the physically challenged at De Anza JC in Cupertino. Over the past 35 years, she was a fixture at De Anza while she earned her Liberal Arts Degree and many certificates (including Art History, Recreation, Painting, Photography), created and presided over the Disabled Student Unlimited Club (DSU), helped make the campus wheelchair friendly, and opened the eyes of many as to the incredible abilities of those that "appear" to be challenged. For many years, she also worked for both the City of Palo Alto and Cupertino Recreation Departments as a Rec Counselor for their programs for the physically and mentally challenged. Her motto always was: Never judge a book by its cover. Gifted with a photographic memory, Mimi never forgot a face, a name or a phone number. She met everyone with a twinkle in her eye, a smile on her face and an outreached hand. Her independent and outgoing personality will be missed by her many friends, teachers and family.

Mimi had moved to Santa Rosa to be closer to her mother, H. Stewart, who moved from Palo Alto to Santa Rosa in September 2008, and her sister S. Coleman. She is also survived by her nieces Shannon and Cristin (San Francisco). Her father, Howard, preceded her in death in May 2005. The family would like to thank Dr. Jim Ford and Dr. George Fisher and their staff (Stanford Oncology Center) for their unwavering faith that Mimi could survive her cancer, Dr. Helen Collins and her staff (Redwood Regional Medical Oncology Group) for their determination to find her next successful chemo, Dr. Mitchell Bailey, whose surgery kept her alive five days after she moved to Santa Rosa, and the Nursing Staff from the oncology wing of Memorial Hospital that supported her first and last trips to the hospital. We would also like to thank her wonderful family of caregivers, Jese, Lena and their baby, "LJ", who surrounded her with love, laughter and prayers during her last 4 months. ---


And I miss her damn it, Every day, every month and year, Of my friend I can only say this, of the souls I have known in my many travels, she was the absolute one of a kind person, I am proud to have known her and she will always have a special place in me for her long lasting friendship and our association. I am grateful for her support and encouragement through the years when i needed it and was down, she was there to keep me going and not let me quit on myself.

Those who have been touched by Mimi's gracious, enduring friendship, should be be blessed. She is a true angel, and she now is at rest. With her father, and the Spirit of God.

FA Nathaniel Miller, USN Ret.
-- Protected Veteran/Writer