That time of life

I can almost remember when I learned to spell Vander Gheynst.

In the days before spell check, that was an accomplishment, though I doubt many electronic dictionaries can spell that name either.

I met Carol Vander Gheynst when her husband Paul played saxophone while my ex-wife Jan sang. They were performing in a small restaurant/club in St. Francis Shopping Center in Columbus. Carol was on the faculty at Columbus State University. I was a college dropout passed the age of 30 that helped women in my life get diplomas but never got one myself. We talked and I whined about not having my degree. Carol didn't whine. She pushed me back to campus.

When I started to class, I called Carol. Couple of years later when I graduated from CSU, I called Carol. And I didn't whine. I said thank you.

Carol Vander Gheynst died Friday. A week ago it was Nancy Housand. Several weeks ago it was attorney Jim Humes.

Each of them worked for the Muscogee County School District. Each died too young. Carol died only weeks after a fatal diagnosis. Nancy died suddenly in her kitchen. Jim valliantly fought cancer for years.

They were my friends.

When I heard that Carol and Nancy had died, my thoughts were similar. In my opinion, they were wronged by their employer, though the wrongs obviously fade in importance at this point.

Carol had the education and the skills to be an assistant superintendent. She was passed over more than once. Nancy, meanwhile, wanted the school district to name a school for her father, the late Braxton Nail who served as school superintendent for 16 years.

It's too late to give Carol Vander Gheynst a position she deserved but it isn't too late to make Nancy Housand smile.