While reading it, I could not help but think about my life since June 1996 back in Santa Cruz. I remember that Lew was so excited he told Paul that he was going to hike and garden with us. At his guidance, we planted two kinds of gladioli, pink and deep red, along the fence of our residence at 1842. That summer Paul and I were rewarded with many splashes of colors. Later, we dug out some bulbs for our own house at 1887. Surprisingly, one of the transplanted pinks gladioli bloomed last June after more than two decades' dormancy in the ground.
We ended up not hiking one single day together after all. Lew was just retired from his part-time consultation work whereas I had a family to support, by becoming a substitute librarian for both Santa Clara County Library, and San Jose State Library for 1.5 years, and working full time for DIALOG for another 1.5 years, until the company was relocated from Mountain View to North Carolina.
During the chaotic period of job loss, and new job hunting, Lew was with us 100%. He took care of Nick in his Aptos home while Paul and I were in Cary, training new teams. When a duplex became available on our same street, he immediately came and asked us to let Joe and Linda, our realtors, put our names on the top of their list. He also recommended to us his capable loan officer, so as to make Paul and my combined income work for the house loan. With his wise advice, our family savings and support, we got our dream home in August, 1998. It is truly sad to see that Lew, the instrumental friend, is no longer with us.
One of the lessons Lew taught us is be confident, and independent. During my nearly two decades' service at Santa Cruz Public, I have run into many a familiar mortal coil, and bully in the workplace. With justice and law on our side, I have dealt with one difficult situation after another, and manged to speak my own mind and serve the public fairly and equally, which is borne out by my 9 papers and one monograph.
Thank you, Lew! Rest in Peace.
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