Dear Booksharian Friends,
On the last morning of November Mayrie Renae peacefully died in her sleep.
She wasnât finished living and loving and being a dynamic force for good
in Bookshare, but she was spared increasing suffering as her illness
worsened. I finally brought myself to write to you because I think it is
better for you to hear this from a friend.
I am passing this sad news along today so that we may react as caring
friends and volunteers this weekend expressing our grief and comforting
one another unencumbered by list rules and guidelines for if there is ever
a time when our community feelings are more important than the business at
hand, it is now.
In my case Mayrie was a cherished friend and usually, though not always, a
like-minded volunteer.
She was an impeccable proofreader and scanner. Initially she set out to
make many more books available to young readers. Eagerly she incorporated
tips she gathered from this list and was soon developing new ones of her
own. She recruited the help of volunteers who, like herself, were
committed to dependability and accuracy. Her prodigious output proved to
volunteers and to the Benetech staff that blind Booksharians could produce
accurate work at speed. In fact, she was hired as a professional
proofreader and expanded her skills to include list advisor and technique
developer while at the same time continuing to scan books for long-time
friends and newcomers.
Mayrie set a high example of work ethic for volunteers and staff alike. In
answering questions on and off list she was patient. Without neglecting
the wishes of her friends, she found time to train and channel scans to
beginning volunteers. She adjusted to change gracefully. When many of our
books were replaced by PQ books, she celebrated the overall gain to
readers though her entire Sammy Keyes series was replaced along with many
other of her submissions. Mayrie respected confidences and never gossiped
or fostered any kind of hard feelings. If Mayrie had a fault it was
believing that anyone, paid or unpaid, could work with her tireless
dedication.
Please know Iâm writing as Mayrieâs grieving friend and not
officially. Mayrie and I fed each otherâs passion for books and
Bookshare. By example she showed me how to keep the goal of helping
develop a huge accessible library before any frustration or hurt feelings.
Negativity must never obscure pursuit of the greater good Bookshare
accomplishes.
I want to wind down on a more personal note. I believe Mayrie wouldnât
mind me sharing a few facets of her sparkling personality.
Mayrie loved chocolate and peanut butter, especially peanut butter pie.
She was always in search of a recipe for putting more peanut butter in
cookies while maintaining good texture and improving flavor.
Mayrie loved books where the woman got her man as well as mysteries and
well written books for teens and middle-schoolers.
She loved coffee.
She was far more likely to cry tears of compassion than of self pity.
She loved teamwork in the kitchen with John.
She let the child in her enjoy childrenâs music and build with Legos.
Keeping promises was important to Mayrie.
Nascar on the radio was fun.
Exercise wasnât fun.
There was nothing more satisfying than contributing a complete series of
books to Bookshare.
The artist in her chose colorful skirts and played guitar.
Mayrieâs winters could be dreary and her summers too hot.
She was gleeful when she found ways to work around any roadblocks posed by
her blindness.
Potatoes with the skins on roasted with butter and Liptonâs dry onion
soup on top were one of her favorite side dishes.
She was a fan of folk and country music.
No librarian could have kept the prodigious number of print books she
hoped yet to scan better organized.
Mayrie was such an intelligent, vibrant person. But think, she was but one
of many of Bookshareâs fascinating, vibrant volunteers, staff and
members. With each person lost and gained Bookshareâs history and future
grows richer.
Mayrie left us the link to a song to help us cope with her passing.
<http://hkc.im/1ij>http://hkc.im/1ij
Always with love,
Lissi
