Mary (from Cameron Budenz)
It is strange because, even though I only ever really knew Mary peripherally, I feel like I have memories of her intertwined with many key memories from my life . . .
I played soccer on the EDH rec teams with Julie and Katie for several years, and so I first knew of Mary through seeing her on the sidelines at games . . .
Later on, I think when my brother Kyle and John became close friends, I remember we attended several of the Muse-Fisher’s Christmas parties as a family, which were always a blast. Christmas has always been my favorite time of year, and their parties, with such a big crowd of friends and neighbors in their home, added an extra level of festivity. Of course, always having a Santa Claus in attendance was an added bonus . . .
As a teenager and young adult I became more aware of Mary as a woman that somehow managed to be a judge, a prominent member of the community, and a mother of SEVEN kids, all of whom were smart and kind people-now that I am an adult trying to balance my own career and family, this is a feat I become more and more in awe of every day . . .
And finally, the last time I saw Mary, was when she officiated Rob’s and my wedding. She was the perfect fit-the Budenz side of the family has never been religious, but Rob is a Catholic attorney, so it seemed fitting that our civil ceremony be headed by a Catholic female judge prominent in the town/community I grew up in-and she did an amazing job balancing our input on what kind of ceremony we were looking for with her own bits of wisdom!
Even though I did not know her well, she was an inspiration to me and I will miss her.