In memory of Gretchen Larson

Yesterday I received a call from Harve and Gretchen's daughter, Tammy, who informed me that Gretchen had died.



She suffered from a rare form of lung cancer known as Mesothelioma, thought to be caused by exposure to asbestos.  She was a school teacher and often taught in old school buildings.  While we visited that day last month in Greeley, Co. she talked about how the maintenance people were always coming into the classroom with a ladder to climb into the attic to fix something.  After they left she would have to dust everything off because of the debris that filtered down onto all the desks. She could not think of any other place she might have been exposed. And, of course, I wondered about the others that were also exposed--children that are grown now, the other teachers, and the workers.

I will always remember Gretchen.  I met her the first time when Roger and I had been married barely a year.  She and Harve would often come to Vail to stay with us and ski.  She was one of those people that you love immediately--friendly and cheerful with the most sparkly blue eyes.
She is survived by her husband, Harve, and two daughters, Tammy and Margot.