[Oe List ...] We are collecting stories for Marge Philbrook's 85th Birthday Celebration

Sat Jun 1 07:24:37 PDT 2013

What a blessing you are, Marge!   Shortly after my divorce many years ago, I was in Chicago for a meeting and afterwards wanted to go and visit my mother in Grand Blanc, MI.  LE and Marge offered to drive me to Detroit.  I was still in a very pain-filled state, feeling very raw.  During the drive I began to notice that the edge of that pain began to dissipate a little.  The friendly chatter, the stories you and LE would tell, I actually began to laugh a little.  I never thanked you for that but it was special to me.  Joan Knutson

-----Original Message-----
From: Evelyn Philbrook <joyful52 at gmail.com>
To: oe <oe at lists.wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Wed, May 29, 2013 9:11 pm
Subject: Re: [Oe List ...] We are collecting stories for Marge Philbrook's 85th Birthday Celebration

Dearest Marge, 

      You are the Greatest! 

      I know that many daughterinlaws might not understand why I enjoy      coming to Chicago and visiting with you. I have never had any      mother-in-law problems and just the opposite. You have always been      the spark who hosted everyone and made them feel welcome. I could      see gifts that I had given you decorating your apartment and      clothes that I had bought were being worn. You hem and sewed      everyone's clothes and typed over 100 words per minute without      blinking an eye. We borrowed your car, shared your frig and even      use your tv and computer which are available to residents so they      can feel right at home too. Time and again you see the need and do      the deed. 

      When my children came to Green Rise (I want to say Kemper) after      living most of their life outside the USA, you were watchful, but      gave them the space to decide what they want to do and how they      would go about doing it in their college years. I remember asking      about their grades. You said, it is none of my business. If they      want to tell me they will. They can decide. They say people who      are creative can say "Yes and....", or "What if"...you were way      ahead of the curve and I thought may be you created the slogan      "Yes we can", and not Obama! A couple of times when Larry was not      with me, I even shared a bed with you and this amazed my Chinese      girlfriends to no end! You and Phil actually came to Kenya to      marry us ...but that is another story...

      Our family's history is like building memories with stories that      become legend. Lela always liked chicken and heard your story      about learning to cook fried chicken for Sunday dinners and guess      what... now Lela fries her own chicken! We heard about your wheat      bran and pineapple juice reducing cholesterol and are still having      it in the morning. ETF is just a sample... all the tapping and all      the DIY books are really about deciding to care for yourself and      take responsibility for your own health. Half the goal of healing      is believing you can be healed and can heal others. It is saying      the Divine has always been with us and always will be with us.      Alpha and Omega. God is Good, Life is Good. Amen...

      You are a walking miracle worker and such a gift to us all. Thank      you for being you!

      I am sorry we will not join you and Conan for your birthday this      year! We will be there at Christmas instead!  So everyone should      raise their glasses and toast to Marjorie Philbrook...she likes      pineapple juice, eats turkey and salmon and has watermelon instead      of cake for her birthday! Go Girl!

      You are the Greatest!
      l
      Love, 

      Evelyn Kurihara Philbrook who has lived in Taiwan over 22 years      and never been to the Great Wall of China, so we celebrate Marge's      birthday by doing just that with my special partner, Larry      Philbrook, who has waited to all these years to see it. 

      On 5/30/13 12:41 AM, Jack Gilles wrote: 

            Dear Marj,uter      

I remember the first time I encountered you. It was in one of        the early summer programs at 4750. I knew of you before that but        this time you were doing the summer print shop. I remember        seeing you during the day and I knew you were up most of the        night. You never looked tired! I couldn't believe that you        seemed to go 24/7! They may have called Margaret Thatcher "The        Iron Lady", but we all know that you were the first with that        name and I sign for all to see! No burden to large, the first        answer always yes, and corporate to the core. Happy birthday to        you, from Jack and Judy. 

Grace & Peace,

Jack

On May 29, 2013, at 10:58 AM, Ken Fisher <hkf232 at gmail.com>            wrote:

Dear                    Marj,

Happy 85th !!!

The                    closest                    I got to being assigned with you was a year with                    your teen-age son, Larry, in D.C.  That was a                    very big introduction.  (He taught me to say ‘Y’all’)

I am a                    bit                    self-conscious in using the word ‘big’ with your                    family, however with you and                    L.E. that would have to be one of the adjectives.  Over the years we’ve had many                    conversations.  While                    I can hardly recall the content                    of any, I can get back into ‘the feel’ of being with                    you.

For me,                    you                    have a kind of jarring autonomy and, always in the                    same moment, you are an utterly solid anchor of                    corporateness.

You are utterly                    reliable.  You are utterly collegial.

And of course, you are the mother                  of a grand clan of loyalists to our                  collective well-being.

With                    much                    love and affection,

Ken                    Fisher

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