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Posted 1/14/08

Saying Goodbye to a Dear Friend

A little over a week ago, I said good-bye to a dear and trusted friend, former colleague and second mother, Miss Ilene Wright. Miss Ilene was a rare person that shared her time on earth with us. She never had a cross word to say about anything. She was a professional career woman raising a family at a time that was not fashionable. Her family was the most important part of her life.

Each morning, Miss Ilene would grab her coffee cup and sit down with me to plan the day. We would share moments from our family’s lives that we were proud of. She never had a bad word to say. She adopted my children as her own, attending special events and special occasions. She particularly enjoyed the holidays with her children and grandchildren.

Miss Ilene could have had a bad attitude about life. Her health was not always the best. She worked in stressful jobs. Miss Ilene had a stressful task every two weeks. It was her responsibility to complete the City Commission agenda and distribute it to the commissioners. She did this with meticulous precision, nary a negative thought during the process.

I had the opportunity to share an afternoon visit with Miss Ilene on Christmas Eve in her apartment. We visited about her fat cat, caught up on the families and simply spent time together sharing. Little did I know that a few days later, she would be called home by the Lord. We really don’t know how much time we have on earth and we certainly need to make the most of it.

Miss Ilene was a dedicated public servant and she helped the City of Junction City complete its mission time and time again. I will miss her dearly and miss her counsel on various issues in my life. However, I know that she is in a better place and one day I will see her again.

I developed my relationship with Miss Ilene through work. We spend more time with our colleagues sometimes than we do our family. I am fortunate and you are fortunate to have a wonderful family that is running the City of Junction City. Each department head, supervisor and employee gives 150% each day to make your lives a little easier. Next time you see a police officer, a firemen, or a park laborer, say “Hi” and thank them for a job well done. We are here to serve you and make our community the best it can be.

Email Rod!