I first met Darla in 1970 when I arrived in Washington, DC to work for the State Department.  I was assigned in an office with her roommate, Bonnie and we all hit it off right away. Darla and I became very good friends as she introduced me to all the hotspots in the DC area on the weekend. She took me up to Penna to visit her mom and we took in sights around the area like Monticello.

Darla met her soon-to-be husband when her big behemoth Buick broke down and she got assistance from a group of army guys (just back from Vietnam). She persuaded me to accompany her to Massachusetts to meet her soon-to-be in-laws

David Blakeman hooked me up with a friend of his who was home on leave from the Navy. He turned out to be my soon-to-be husband.  We had a great weekend exploring the area and especially enjoyed Old Sturbridge Village. 

When Darla’s roommates left, she moved in with me and my roommate and what a time that was!  Parking garages in DC were as expensive as apartments so in so-like Darla fashion, she got us a great deal! She had met a groundskeeper for a church just a few blocks away and talked him into letting us park in his spot at the church. A car full of young women pulled into the church every morning as he pulled his car out, we pulled ours in and he made a little extra income and we saved a lot of parking fees!

I first met Darla’s mom and sister at the wedding in Massachusetts. Then we all went separate ways – Darla went to Florida with her husband and I went on to my Embassy assignment. After my marriage, my husband and I settled in Massachusetts for a few years, Darla and Dave came up and stayed with us. Several years later, when we lived in Virginia, they came and stayed with us again.

Darla and I always kept in touch through monthly letters and went through our divorces together, shared our new found friends and travels. About every 10 years or so, we got together. I lived a summer in Maine and we were able to get together several times that year and even took the ferry over to Nova Scotia.  We met up in Pidgeon Forge, Tennessee, a long visit in Seaside, Oregon and again in Sedona, Arizona.  She came down to Tarpon Springs, Florida to bake a first birthday cake for my granddaughter.

When we finally got the internet, emails were a constant for us.  I enjoyed every email as she had a wonderful sense of humor, so dry but so descriptive!  We shared our travels and joys. I shared my daughter and granddaughter news as she shared her “hounds” and numerous animals over the years with me.  Thank you, Darla, for sharing 48 years with me! I will never forget you and count on you showing me the ropes when we meet again.