Mary Rickert

Mary sat next to me in Chatham High School English class. In an adolescent way, I tried to impress her with things that didn't really matter. She impressed me--and many others--just being the lady she was. After graduation we went to separate colleges and eventually went our own separate ways. Thirty eight years later, as a result of a call from John Hildebrand and some e-mails from him and Mo Tarleton, I was able to make contact with Mary--and to learn of her ordeal with cancer. We...

Please accept my sincere sympathies to the family and friends of Mary. I graduated HS with Mary and remember her sweet nature and friendly manner to all. She will be fondly remembered. I am very sorry to hear of the suffering she had with her illness. Mary should be smiling down on all of us about now....free from disease and loved.

I first met Mary some 50 years ago in Chatham where we both lived a few blocks apart. I know because I remember chasing her along with the other neighborhood girls and teasing them as boy's would do. Mary was always so sweet,kind and caring then and over the years, a lovely gal. Fortunately, at our CHS reunion on July 2,2005 I had a moment with her(she waited to see me)for a hug and a few words before I entertained the class with my Stand Up comedy routine, believe me, it was hard to be funny...