Lou Gillum
My first experience with Marian was about 50 years ago when she and Jim Shepard were neighbors and she would chase my little dog away from her rose bushes. After I came home from school, I again met Marian at the house of mutual friends and she was going through a divorce and she and I immediately became close friends. She was my teacher, mentor, confidant and, in short, my best friend for 45 years. I moved to Atlanta before Marian so she lived with me when she first came down. Then, Marian moved to the DC area before I and so I lived with her when I first moved to the area. Marian's favorite time was Christmas time and after I moved to Merida, Mexico she came every Christmas for about 12 years until she could no longer make the journey. We would decorate the house and she would bring the frosted Christmas cookies and we would have friends in to share all. I have not put up Christmas decorations since she stopped coming...Chirstmas here is just not the same without her. And now life is not the same without Marian. My life and heart has a hole that cannot be filled. I will miss my spring and fall visits to spend time with her.