I remember you as Elaine's lifeline when she joined me to live in Shanghai. You showed her how to get to places using the City's elaborate bus system. You introduced her to your friends, your church, and your favorite haunts. Best of all, you welcomed her to your home and treated her as your own.

I remember the many tongues and dialects you spoke with great facility, the myriad places you had been to around the world, and the boundless energy you exuded in pursuing your passions -- traveling, singing saprano in the church choir, and doing God's work.

Most of all, I remember you as a loving matriarch of a loving family, cheering and prodding your children and grandchildren along the way, while also extending love and care to those beyond the immediate family so that people like Elaine and me could have a home away from home.

Covid may have taken you away from us, but your memories will remain forever in our hearts.

(First draft January 4, 2023, updated July 13, 2023)