Colleen Thomas Memorial Thread

[TheEarl]

I've just bought a Lonely Planet guide to USA to start planning my trip to the colonies. Reading the history section about the Civil War, where the authors claim that the Southern States broke off solely because of slavery, that the Confederate States declared war on the North and that the Union was always guaranteed to win.

Colly would've had a field day with that kind of misinformation and remind us how she always thought when she was growing up that "DamnYankee" was all one word.

the old joke I was 13 before I learned Damn yankee was two words, is only half-way a joke.

The Earl

 

[TheEarl]

I've just had an e-mail from Melissa, where she has written down what happened to Colly. I'm copying it here, in its entirety, with no amendments.

Colly and I were getting furniture from he basement and getting things really for the tag sale. We had decided to move into smaller housing so I could retire early. She had walked into the kitchen and she said her back hurt. So I told her to take a shower to help lose up her back because I thought she had pulled a muscle. As I walk into the bathroom to start her shower she said that she felt like someone bunched her in her chest, and her back teeth hurt. I knew then something was wrong so I gave her aspirins and called 911. She laid down and the ambulance came with in a min or two. She was still talking and walked to the ambulance. She was in pain but doing better. I went into the ambulance with her and she was not alone. She had a grand mal seizure and her heart stoped. On the top of the mountain going to the hospital and got the parametric unit. They worked on Colly until we got to the hospital. She got into the hospital and the Dr. worked on her for a while and they called her death at 12:05 PM. She told me she had chest pain at 11:30 am. She was not alone I was with her all the way I stayed with her through it all. I never left her side. I hope this helps all of you get some closer. Please understand that this is very mechanical but that has been the only way to deal with things. God Bless Mel

Mel, thank you for taking the time to tell us this, and for reliving it, merely to ease our grieving.

Just read this. Mel, I'm so, so very sorry.

<tears>

The Earl

 

[elfin_odalisque]

Thank you so much, Melissa, thank you Earl.

I read Colly's stories here with pleasure, awe and admiration. It is so difficult, for someone who wasn't close, to imagine and understand the magnitude of the real person.

I would have wished for a thousand different and better ways of understanding her as a person - but I will be forever grateful that, in however slight a way, I got the chance to read and understand the undying spirit and optimism that underlay all her writing.

 

[rgraham666]

*bump*

 

[lance gt]

to a mentor I barely knew

Colly amazed me from the very first story I read of hers. I was so taken by her wonderful characters and their sexual tales, it gave me the impetus to try writing myself. I asked her to read my first one and let me know if I was doing okay, to which she said I was very talented and to keep up the good writing. I only exchanged a few messages with her, but she was always so positive in her responses and gave me the courage to try harder and seek new areas to write about. I only wish we could have collaborated on a story together. It would have been such an honour to write one with her. I'll miss you Colly. Thank you for everything. Lance GT

 

[rgraham666]

*bump* again.

 

[ABSTRUSE]

No bottom page for you Missy C.

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

Hi all
I have been reading the posts. I would like Colly's birthday and not her date of death remembered. Oh the back of her memory cards I had this printed

Do not stand by my grave and weep
I am not there. I do not Sleep
I am a thousand winds that blow
I am the diamond glint on snow
I am the sunshine on ripened grain
I am the gentle autumn rain
When you awake in the morning hush
I am swift uplifting rush of quiet birds in circling flight
I am the soft star shine at night
DO not stand by my grave and cry
I am not there
I did not die
Her life began at birth and thats how I want all her things to be represented
a birth a new thought idea
She always made people think and really look at what they were thinking.
Thats how her memeory should stand.
I hope I have not angered anyone but that is how I feel about it. Mel

That was a wonderful poem, and I agree that it fits her. Part of her will always live here at the AH, just as a part of her lives with you still.

To quote Kirk Douglas in "Spartacus", "Varinia, for you and me, there can be no farewells. As long as one of us lives, we all live."

 

[minsue]

I went searching through my old posts last night and found that the second post I ever made to these boards was in response to Colly on a politics thread. Just a few days later I jumped all over a person who's politics I agreed with because he attacked her personally instead of arguing against her political beliefs. I didn't know her, only through political debating and we all know Colly was far more than just her passion for politics, but already I had seen her as someone noble and good who brought out my protective side. It was two and a half years ago that I told that person he was out of his league when it came to Colly and I can remember the anger I felt as if it was yesterday. The thought of someone maligning her personally offended me to my core. That's the kind of person Colly was. She brought out the best in all of us.

I miss you, beautiful.

 

[whispering_surrender]

Song Lyrics

These are the lyrics to a song that Raphy and I wrote over the weekend in tribute to Colly and inspired by a post by Rob about her.

All The Good Ones

I know your life was full of pain
I know you smiled through the rain
And through it all, I know you never
Let it get you down

Time after time, I saw you there
A helping hand to show you care
I never thought, there'd be a time
When you weren't around

I search my soul
With tears in my eyes
'Cause I don't know how
How to say goodbye
I lift my face
To the heavens so blue
'Cause I don't understand
Why all the good ones leave so soon

I know you're in a better place
Filled with light and filled with grace
Free of your pain, for the first time
In your life

And I bow my head and pray
'Cause I know no other way
To let you know, you're in my thoughts
Wherever you are

I search my soul
With tears in my eyes
'Cause I don't know how
How to say goodbye
I lift my face
To the heavens so blue
'Cause I don't understand
Why all the good ones leave so soon
No, I don't understand
Why all the good ones leave too soon


Whisp and Raphy

As I mentioned, I've been saving her stuff on her for Mel.

I keep stopping to read them, and keep being awed by her talent.

I now have another reason to hoof God in the nuts when we're finally face to face.

"Why so soon, ya daft bastard?" is the question I'm going to ask.

 

[Roxanne Appleby]

These are the lyrics to a song that Raphy and I wrote over the weekend in tribute to Colly and inspired by a post by Rob about her.

All The Good Ones

I know your life was full of pain
I know you smiled through the rain
And through it all, I know you never
Let it get you down

Time after time, I saw you there
A helping hand to show you care
I never thought, there'd be a time
When you weren't around

I search my soul
With tears in my eyes
'Cause I don't know how
How to say goodbye
I lift my face
To the heavens so blue
'Cause I don't understand
Why all the good ones leave so soon

I know you're in a better place
Filled with light and filled with grace
Free of your pain, for the first time
In your life

And I bow my head and pray
'Cause I know no other way
To let you know, you're in my thoughts
Wherever you are

I search my soul
With tears in my eyes
'Cause I don't know how
How to say goodbye
I lift my face
To the heavens so blue
'Cause I don't understand
Why all the good ones leave so soon
'Cause I don't understand
Why all the good ones leave too soon


Whisp and Raphy

Sob! This one got me. It's really beautiful.

 

[raphy]

Sob! This one got me. It's really beautiful.

Thank you..

I can only hope to do Colly justice with it - As much as Colleen might have protested, I was never really a writer of prose. Creatively, music was my first love, and expressing myself in song is far more comfortable for me than in writing. (I don't presume to speak for whisp )

Our house is going to be full of screaming rugrats for some of this week, so that puts a bit of a hold on the recording, but currently, I'm writing the synth/keyboard part.

When it's done, we'll post a link here for all of you to hear, of course.

 

[minsue]

Sob! This one got me. It's really beautiful.

Ditto

 

[Belegon]

bumping and remembering

 

[McKenna]

Whisp and Raphy, the lyrics are just wonderful.

 

[rgraham666]

Thanks whisper, Raphy. A lovely piece of work.

 

[moonlight elf]

 

[Guest]

Thank you..

I can only hope to do Colly justice with it - As much as Colleen might have protested, I was never really a writer of prose. Creatively, music was my first love, and expressing myself in song is far more comfortable for me than in writing. (I don't presume to speak for whisp )

Our house is going to be full of screaming rugrats for some of this week, so that puts a bit of a hold on the recording, but currently, I'm writing the synth/keyboard part.

When it's done, we'll post a link here for all of you to hear, of course.

Beautiful, Raphy and Whisp.

Can't wait to hear the completed song.

 

[matriarch]

Thank you..

I can only hope to do Colly justice with it - As much as Colleen might have protested, I was never really a writer of prose. Creatively, music was my first love, and expressing myself in song is far more comfortable for me than in writing. (I don't presume to speak for whisp )

Our house is going to be full of screaming rugrats for some of this week, so that puts a bit of a hold on the recording, but currently, I'm writing the synth/keyboard part.

When it's done, we'll post a link here for all of you to hear, of course.

If the music is half as moving as the lyrics, it will be worth the wait. A wonderful memorial, Raphy.

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

That's beautiful, Raphy.

 

[Nirvanadragones]

No second page for you yet, Colly. I miss you so much, Sweet

 

[Lovepotion69]

Will miss you Colleen

I haven't been on Lit for a long time. Occasionally I do pop by and read some threads, but more likely stories, but haven't been active in the AH forum for a long time.

I just head the terrible news today from Raphy and can't believe it. Though I didn't know Colleen personally, I do know her from my time on Lit and the AH. She was such a wonderful and prominent person. There just aren't words to describe her presence her. At least not any that I can formulate.


/LP

 

[Belegon]

Forever Your Fan, Red...

We redheads need to stick together ya know...

 

[matriarch]

Now, I just told your other thread, it ain't going to happen. We aren't ready for you to disappear of the front page. So I say again......get your arse back up to the top.

 

[SEVERUSMAX]

What she said. Colly deserves to be on the front page as long as we can keep her there. We owe it to her memory. You're not forgotten, girl. You never will be.