Anne Chaisson, January 6, 1953-July 31, 2011
Unfortunately, I attended the memorial service of a sweet friend and colleague this afternoon who died unexpectedly last Sunday at the young age of 58–only 10 years older than myself. She was a social worker at our county’s health department and devoted to serving others.
My friend grew up in Maryland and lived much of her early life either in or on the water. She was a competitive swimmer for her local YMCA and, as her obituary states, “…was a remarkably daring and graceful diver…Her love of the water brought her to work as the director of swimming and waterfront activities and safety at YMCA Camp Tockwogh on the Chesapeake.” At today’s service, her brother said she also was in charge of the girls sailing camp.
I was well aware of her sailing experience, because when she learned of our plans to move onto a boat one day, her enthusiasm for our dream was palpable. Perhaps the only topics I saw her get more excited about than sailing were her sons and grandson. I didn’t get the opportunity to tell my friend that we bought a boat and were a big step closer to setting sail. I believe she would have been giddy about our leap of faith toward making our dream come true.
The blessing offered at the end of her service was a Franciscan Benediction and one she chose herself for just such an occasion (but I doubt she thought it would be used so soon). It speaks loudly to the bold, fiesty, yet gentle spirit she embodied:
May God bless you with discomfort…at easy answers, half truths and superficial relationships, so that you may live deep within your heart.
May God bless you with anger…at the injustice, oppression and exploitation of people, so that you may work for justice, freedom and peace.
May God bless you with tears…to shed for those who suffer pain, rejection, hunger and war, so that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and to turn their pain into joy.
And may God bless you with enough foolishness…to believe that you can make a difference in the world, so that you can do what others claim cannot be done to bring justice and kindness to all our children and the poor.
When people pass from this life without warning, it gives us pause and helps us take stock in what is really important. As I stood throughout my friend’s memorial service (when I arrived a few minutes early, there was standing room only), I made a mental list of the lessons she taught me. They include:
- Be kind to everyone. You don’t know what they may be struggling with.
- Life on this earth is short; live it to the fullest. And,
- Let the wind fill your sails and dare to go where it blows.
Sundown Sailing Adventures 
Kim… thank you for your absolute truths, great advice and adventurous spirit that urges all of us to raise our sails and let the wind blow. IIn memory of . . . Anne; you will be sorely missed. God rest your soul dear woman. We can only hope to live our lives with such meaning and direction as you have. I do pray for foolishness that allows me to believe I CAN make a difference.
This post contains some powerful stuff, Kim. For this, I am grateful. For you, equally so…
Thank you for this loving memory of Anne. She will be missed. We all need to stop and read and re-read the blessing she chose.
Kim, you are an inspiration to us all!
I was saddened to read of Anne’s passing while catching up on newspapers after being out of town for a week. It was a pleasure to know her a little through our work on the Larimer Early Childhood’s Mental Health subcommittee. She always had a smile and a sincere interest in how others were doing.
Jan B