Note from Donna: Jenny is part of our Kanabay Court Reporters family. She posted this on JeanBob's blog in response to Jean's tribute to Lynne.
Now that I have stopped crying I wanted to tell you my experience with Lynne. I have only known her for the last 4 years since I have worked at Kanabay. When I started the girl who I would be replacing told me to "watch out for Lynne, she is very picky and will not like you; don't take it personally". So naturally I was petrified of this women! A few months after that Lynne had called Donna personally to tell her what a great job I'm doing. I was floored, Donna was floored, and it was then that I got the know her. I always thought she was very intriguing (even when I was scared of her ). She just had this vibe so professional, so graceful, so feminine. When I would see her in the office she was the picture of Classy. Then I found there is a whole other side of Lynne. A fun loving Harley riding side! I could not believe this graceful proper lady was riding the hog! Better I got to know her, the more amazing I found her to be. I have never known anyone like her and never will again. I'm glad i had the chance to, I will miss her always!
This Memory will apear in the Journal of Court Reporting, the magazine of the National Court Reporters Association
When Lynne Ide passed from this earth far too soon, I posted on the NCRA forum. Jacki Schmidt asked me to write something for the JCR. What follows is not your typical obituary -- but then Lynne was not your typical person. You see, Lynne was a BOB, and to rest of us BOBS, she is our sister. This tribute is the result of the collective, just like almost everything we do. But I got to go last, so the final edits are mine. We love you, Lynne.
Lynne J. Ide, RMR
March 8, 1947 – April 20, 2009
www.lynne-ide.last-memories.com
Almost fifteen years ago, eight women from across the country, whose goals in reporting and in life were very similar, started to come together. We met online first and formed a sisterhood of sorts, calling ourselves The BOBs. Not sure any of us remember the details on when or how we ended up with the name. Suffice it to say it stuck; and like being right-handed or having green eyes, well, it’s just part of who we are. (And what the acronym stands for we’ll save for a more appropriate venue.)
We met on the original CR Forum, probably because we all used the same CAT software. We started simply -- court reporters learning faster or easier ways to write on our machines, debating the virtues of a new software package, finding the fastest and kewlest computers to do our job – and always, constantly, even today looking for the best way to keep track of all the BOBS emails and sync them on our computers, phones or Blackberry.
Over the years, our bond grew. We started sharing the real things in life: Teenaged kids, parent troubles, sibling squabbles, weddings and babies; health issues and triumphant recoveries; boating and motorcycle trips, out-of-the-country trips and what to pack; which words should be hyphenated; attorneys and judges who drive us crazy; stories about our cats, dogs, birds, fish and turtles. We also shared devastating personal losses that everybody suffers: Siblings, parents, grandparents. Sometimes too many too close together. But when one would falter, the others would hold her up.
Over time, we drove and/or flew to conventions or any other opportunity we could find to share our very special friendship. Although we are sisters in every sense of the word, our entire group of eight has only actually been together, all in the same place at the same time, once: In 2002, at the National convention in Orlando, when Laurel became NCRA president. It wasn’t for lack of trying, though. We have lots of photos and memories of times when some of us were together. They always involved late nights, laughter, and emails or calls to the rest of the BOBs.
We have shared incredible happiness and gut wrenching sadness in these many years of becoming our own special family. But now, for the first time, the unthinkable has happened. We've lost one of our own, and we are heartbroken.
We are proud and honored to have known Lynne Ide, RMR, and to have called her our friend for so long. With a very recent diagnosis of cancer, she didn’t let anybody know how ill she really was. She was a very private person and wanted to try to live her normal life for as long as possible, facing her illness with strength, courage and dignity. In true Lynne style, she quietly, without fuss, left this world and entered the next at exactly noon, on Monday, April 20th, 2009.
Lynne was a vibrant person, always the svelte one (we all vividly remember an FCRA convention where, poolside, men 20 years her junior continually vied for her attention,) and the epitome of health – a mindful eater and exerciser. She also was a hard worker and phenomenal reporter. She graduated from reporting school in Wisconsin in 1969, and worked as an official in her home state until moving to St. Petersburg, Florida, in 1983, and joining the team at Kanabay Court Reporters. When Donna told the company’s reporting family of her passing, they each said, “Let me know if there’s anything we can do.” Donna’s response was, “Triple your output immediately and be ready for realtime hookups in a week.”
Her work ethic was tempered by lots of playtime, too. She loved to travel, go diving, skiing, boating, walking… and she even drove her 2003 special Anniversary Edition Harley around the block once or twice! She loved her animals and even named her car Moose (an SUV). A stylish and impeccable dresser, there are unsubstantiated rumors she might have had a thing for collecting shoes.
The last time we were all together, save Jean and Patti, was at Beach Cliff, Laurel’s vacation home on Cape San Blas, in October 2007. We always talked about going back when Jean and Patti could come too (and Lynne was trying to figure out a way to get CEU credits for the Reunion).
The night Lynne passed, Laurel watched the sun set over the Gulf at Beach Cliff via the beach cam and snapped pictures of the absolutely astonishing and gorgeous sunset, e-mailing the shots to us in normal thread fashion, just how we’ve communicated all these years. We couldn't help but wonder if Lynne maybe stopped by just to see how things were looking – and to wave to the beach cam – on her way to Somewhere Else. And for one final email Lynne was still a part of our thread… as tears streamed onto our keyboards.
Lynne, you will forever be in our hearts. We know you’re out there watching over us now. Help us make our fingers fly as fast as yours, but also help us to emulate you in balancing our lives with tons of fun and adventure. We will never forget you, and we will always treasure you, dear friend. The BOBs: Jean Delaney (NJ), Denise “Mitz” Drill (MN), Laurel Eiler (TN), Tammy “Bratchild” Jenkins (FL), Donna Kanabay (FL), Patti Marshall (FL), and Linda McGill (FL)
Why a cardinal?
Through the ages, the cardinal has been symbolically associated with death and danger. Many people have reported what they consider an unusual “cardinal sighting” close in time to the death of a loved one. But if the cardinal appears after death, it is taken as a welcome sign of love and protection.
Since Lynne left us, several of us have experienced the joy of the message of the cardinal. So I found some interesting things about the phenomenon of the cardinal:
“As we observe the cardinal - particularly against the backdrop of the stark winter months, we are reminded that even when things appear bleak or isolated, there is always the presence of beauty, hope, and love. Cardinals encourage us to express our brilliance and reveal our truest selves. Their radiant red is a symbol for us to recognize the gifts in our hearts that we have to give to others in love and friendship. The cardinal is a power-packed bird that transforms and awakens us. When a person with cardinal medicine steps onto a spiritual path there will be no turning back. Everything else in their life will seem insignificant. Extra care must be taken to insure personal happiness.”
If anybody must have had the cardinal as a personal totem, it was Lynne. And for those of us who have been blessed with a visit from a cardinal, it is as though she has reached out and touched us gently as she explores her new world, even as she remembers those that she loved in this one.
Lynne: I just finished the final touches to our JCR tribute to you and it made me miss you all over again. We were collecting photos for possible publication, and seeing us all together, so happy and sharing such fun times, well, darn it, girl, I miss you.
I've been working hard on not wasting precious moments. Finally got out of the house Sunday and decided to enjoy the sunshine and hard work. I figured you would approve. I learned one should not try to use a pressure washer to rinse off your legs (yeah, the bony knees now bear the scars).
I promise I'm going to get back to the Y too. I know you are looking down in disapproval at my lack of exercise!!
BUT I also know you are cheering me on for the Eiler Grand Germany Adventure with the kids that's fast approaching. I really am going to miss sharing "travel tips" and stories with you, darlin'. Just keep an eye on us while we're there, okay?
Lynne memories: As a baby court reporter, you told me how long it takes to edit 50 pages. I was in awe.
You never treated me as a bothersome newbie. I tried not to "bug" you, and you always treated me as an equal. (I'll never be equal, but you let me hang with you anyway.)
We joked about how we would "fly low" under the radar, me in my Mazda, you in your Corvettes.
I don't know what it was, something about Brown Rice for breakfast keeps swimming in my head. But it means that it was really really important that you ate right.... nonprocessed foods - oh, and fish tacos, of course.
I remember doing some Merrill Lynch fair trading hearing or something with you and Donna and thinking "Now I've made it to the big time!!!" Man, how scary that was !
Most of all, I remember that glowing, fill-a-room-with-sunshine smile, those sparkling eyes. Always accepting of me.
Thank you, Lynne, for sharing yourself with so many, and again, showing some of us to LIVE LIFE, and ENJOY IT ALL.
I'll love you always, Patti
