I read today of Harriet Shorr’s passing at the age of 76. I didn’t know Harriet, a painter and teacher, but I read that she was known for her realistic still-life paintings, writing and poetry. She was beloved by her husband, two daughters, three grandchildren and her brother, but what was unusual in her New Times Times obituary was that it said she was “remembered with pride and love by her childhood friends Roberta, Simmie and Linda.”

I read the NYT obituaries often, but I can’t recall that much notice being paid to the friends of the deceased before. Somehow I feel that public recognition of their grief was a step in the right direction. It’s not only family that suffer gravely from the loss of a beloved person, the friends are mourning too. While I don’t know Harriet’s friends and I don’t know anything about their friendship with Harriet, I do know that their grief was noted in her obituary and, therefore, they must have played a significant role in her life. So I would like to offer condolences to the friends and family of Harriet Shorr from Friendship Dialogues and me. I’d also love to hear their friendship story — I’m sure they have wonderful memories.