***August Meeting***

When: Tuesday, August 13, 2013 6:30 PM – Doors Open If this Is your first meeting, please arrive by 6:30 7:00 PM—Meeting Begins Where: Kingsland Baptist Church 20555 Kingsland Blvd, Katy, TX 77450 John Burns Building, East side of church Program: The Significance of Our Chapter Memory Book

Directions:

From East of Fry Road (coming from Houston): Go west on I-10 to Fry Road. Turn left (south) on Fry Road. Turn right (west) on Kings-land Blvd and travel 0.5 miles to Kingsland Baptist Church. From West of Mason Road (coming from San Antonio): Go east on I-10 to Westgreen Blvd. Turn right (south) on Westgreen Blvd and travel 0.6 miles to Kingsland Blvd. Turn left (east) on Kingsland Blvd and travel 0.5 miles to Kingsland Baptist Church.

(Across from Nottingham Country Elementary School)

Chapter Leaders Melinda and Glen Ginter (281) 492-1262 Newsletter Editor Annette Mennen Baldwin (281) 578-9118 Treasurer Lisa Leanard

When a child dies, at any age, the family suffers intense pain and may feel hopeless and isolated. The Compassionate Friends provides highly personal comfort, hope, and support to every family experiencing the death of a son or a daugh-ter, a brother or a sister, or a grandchild, and helps others better assist the grieving family.

Welcome

We need not walk alone.

We are The Compassionate Friends. We reach out to each other with love, with understanding, and with hope. The chil-dren we mourn have died at all ages and from many different causes, but our love for them unites us. Your pain becomes my pain, just as your hope becomes my hope. We come together from all walks of life, from many different circumstances. We are a unique family because we represent many races, creeds, and relationships. We are young, and we are old. Some of us are far along in our grief, but others still feel a grief so fresh and so intensely painful that they feel helpless and see no hope. Some of us have found our faith to be a source of strength, while some of us are struggling to find answers. Some of us are angry, filled with guilt or in deep depression, while others radiate an inner peace. But whatever pain we bring to this gathering of The Compassionate Friends, it is pain we will share, just as we share with each other our love for the children who have died. We are all seeking and struggling to build a future for ourselves, but we are committed to building a future together. We reach out to each other in love to share the pain as well as the joy, share the anger as well as the peace, share the faith as well as the doubts, and help each other to grieve as well as to grow. We Need Not Walk Alone. We Are The Compassionate Friends. ~TCF Credo

Newsletter of the Katy, TX, Chapter

We extend a warm welcome to all who attended their first meeting in July:

The death of your child is probably the most traumatic, life-changing event that you will ever experience. The Compas-sionate Friends is an organization of parents who have also lost a child to death. Each of us has experienced the deep, searing pain that you are feeling now. Each of us has turned to other parents who were farther into their grief journey for guidance, support and understanding. This is done through our monthly meetings, our newsletter, our website, our phone-a-friend pro-gram, our library, our e-mail program and our referral program. Each month parents find our meeting to be a safe place where they can talk about their pain and problems with others who are uniquely qualified to understand; bereaved parents offer gentle suggestions or often simply listen. We invite you to bring a friend to your first few meetings until you feel a level of comfort with the group. Do not be surprised if we talk about the happy times with our children, the wonderful memories and the various methods we have created to keep our children close to us. It is here that many bereaved parents find hope as those who are more seasoned in their grief shine the light of experience to help illuminate each grief path. We have no dues. We are self-sustaining through donations and the generosity of so many in our community. You Need Not Walk Alone.

August 2013

Sheree Norton whose daughter, Savannah Sue Norton, died in April 2013 Diana & Melvin Bell whose son, Melvin “PaPa” Bell, Jr., died in May 2013 Lori Snyder whose son, Kyle James Snyder, did in April 2013 Bonnie Guillot, whose son Johnny “Bryan” Hoover, Jr., died in September 2012 Tiffany Sanjur whose son, Judah Lyon Sanjur, died in August 2012

Page 2 August 2013

Katy TCF Volunteers Welcome Cards to new members—Joyce Dakin Cards for remembrances—Robin Larsen Newsletter—Annette Mennen Baldwin amennenbaldwin@hotmail.com E-mail to group-Annette Mennen Baldwin— tcfkaty.messages@gmail.com Publicity & E-Mail correspondence—Annette Mennen Baldwin Picture Buttons—Annette Mennen Baldwin Contacting Newly Bereaved Parents—Joyce Dakin Holiday & Craft Projects—Joyce Bode Welcome Packages—Sherrie Schurman Library— Jan Bigbee-Weesner Web Site— Lee Schurman Treasurer 2013—Lisa Leanard—lisaleanard@sbcglobal.net Snacks—Susan Archer – ainasusan@yahoo.com Memorial Bench Maintenance—Delia Granado Chapter Leaders—Melinda & Glen Ginter

Join Our Chapter E-Mail List

Join our chapter e-mail list to re-ceive timely notices, writings, articles, special information and more. This is an important communication tool throughout the month for our mem-bers. To join, send an email to: tcfkaty.messages@gmail.com

National TCF Contact

Information TCF National Office P.O. Box 3696 Oak Brook, IL 60522 Toll Free: (877) 969-0010 www.compassionatefriends.org Annette Mennen Baldwin Regional Coordinator Southern Texas

Our Children Remembered Birthdays August 1 Patrick Ross Davidson, Jr, son of Leslie Barry Davidson August 2 Ian Geoffrey Woodham, son of Geoffrey & Pam Woodham August 2 Matthew C. Kerns, son of Debbie Kerns August 4 Dustin Christopher Krause, son of Susan & Tony Krause August 7 Luis E. Molina, son of Dahlia Salinas-Molina August 7 Matthew Moore, son of Susan & Bill Archer August 7 Matthew Moore, son of Gary Moore August 7 Angelica Rae “Angel” Cartwright, daughter of Stephanie & Michael Cartwright August 9 Eaden Kleigham Jackson, son of Khaya & Eric Jackson August 12 Vincent Joseph Sansone, son of Tina & Sam Sansone August 13 Jerad Matthew Whitten, son of Ethel McTigue August 17 Melvin “PaPa” Bell, Jr., son of Diana & Melvin Bell August 19 Jakob Heath, son of Dawn Lovell August 22 Harley Johannes Hammack, grandson of Susan Hammack August 23 Brett Austin, son of Janis Austin August 27 Hannah Henson, daughter of Karen Henson August 30 John Robert Ginter, son of Glen & Melinda Ginter

Anniversaries August 2012 1 Year Misty Dawn Smith, daughter of Terri DeMontrond August 2012 2 Years Alexander G. Seguar III, son of Michele Jasso August 2012 1 Year Patrick Wayne McCracken, son of Wayne & Connie McCracken August 2009 4 Years Wesley Wayne Bode, son of Joyce Bode August 2004 9 Years Andrew Ryan Houghton, son of George & Cindy Houghton August 2011 2 Years Eaden Kleighan Jackson, son of Khaya & Eric Jackson August 1993 20 Years Stormy Sean Beck, son of Howard & Linda Beck August 2006 7 Years Robin Kumar Sen, son of Neela & Salil Sen August 2009 4 Years Stephen Paul Rider, son of Sharon & Don Sackreiter August 2005 8 Years Brett Austin, son of Janis Austin August 2006 7 Years Carlos Enrique Villarreal, son of Linda Hilliard August 2011 2 Years Brandon Michael Noland, son of Neshia Noland August 2012 1 Year Lauren Wiese, daughter of Sheryl & David Wiese August 2012 1 Year Mackenzie Wiese, daughter of Sheryl & David Wiese August 1997 16 Years Elizabeth Anne Chamberlain, daughter of David & Colleen Chamberlain August 2004 9 Years Stephanie Anne Favorite, daughter of Malena & Ray Lopez August 2010 3 Years Mario (Mijo) Escareno, Jr., son of Viola Escareno

During your child’s birth month, you are invited to bring a special photograph or Keepsake of your Loved one to share with the group. If you are unable

to attend the meeting during your loved one’s birth month, please feel free to choose another month to share with us.

August 2013 Page 3

T

Printed in Loving Memory Of Todd M. Mennen ! 1967-2002

!!!!!!

Birthday Table

If your child’s birthday is in Au-gust, please bring a picture or me-mento to our Au-gust meeting to share with the group. In May and December we ask that you bring your child’s picture for the birthday table in the month following the actual event. We hold our bal-loon release in May and our Annual Candle Lighting Ceremony in De-cember.

Chapter Memory Book Presentation At Our August Meeting

Each year we attempt to touch on topics which are so important to many of us on our grief journeys. One such topic is our chapter memory book. In this book you will find pages made by parents about their chil-dren. Pictures, collages, writings….all are included. There is no limit to the creativity you will find in our chapter memory book. Why do we do this? A brief presentation and explanation of the many benefits you will discover will be made at our August meeting. Following this we will ad-journ into our small groups for discussion of whatever topics seem ap-propriate for each group. If your child’s birthday is in August, please bring a picture or a me-mento for our birthday table to share with the group. We want to know you and your child. Refreshments will be provided, and the meeting will start promptly at 7:00 pm. If this is your first meeting, please try to arrive by 6:30. A member of our welcoming committee will visit with you and answer your questions.

Journaling to Heal

Each time I look back over my grief journey, I remember the im-portant role that journaling played in my first and second years of grief. Handwritten entries, some sentences, sometimes just a few words de-scribing my emotions, helped me to define where I was in my daily life. As I review the tear-stained pages, I am reminded of the deep, deep pain and the catharsis of the journal. Whether I was angry, in pain, deeply de-pressed or just too exhausted to think, I wrote a few words, maybe even a few lines each day. I saw it as my connection to my son.

As time progressed, my journaling became writing and eventu-ally I returned to the computer and began forming coherent thoughts and sentences, with subjects and messages to my child, myself and to others. But the process started with the healing of the journal. I learned to be very honest with myself in my journal because I never shared it with anyone. I didn’t put on a mask or rationalize in my journal, as no one else would be reading it. I was completely candid, and I soon recog-nized my weaknesses, regrets, strengths and successes. Pure honesty and great insight were achieved in my journal’s conversation with myself.

Grief therapists recommend journaling to bereaved parents quite frequently. Some people are able to find an outlet for their daily roller coaster of emotions through journaling. Some seek answers and others seek questions. Many parents feel they are connecting with their child through their journal. There are as many reasons to journal as there are types of journals.

While journaling may not be for everyone, we encourage each of you to at least attempt it for a week. Give it your best effort. If, as some have found, it offers you nothing and is a chore, not a treasured time, then stop and seek other forms of outlet. But if, as many have found, it offers you a place for your thoughts, your messages, your self-revelation and self-evaluation as well as a refuge from the world, then by all means, continue to journal.

Annette Mennen Baldwin In memory of my son, Todd Mennen

TCF, Katy, TX

Loving Listeners…..Phone-A-Friend TCF Katy has established a phone-a-friend list for parents who want to talk with someone who shares a similar loss. If you would like to volun-teer to be a phone-a-friend, please contact Annette Baldwin. Loss of an Adult Child…..Annette (281) 578-9118 Only Child…...Annette (281) 578-9118 Murdered Child….. Robin (281) 851-5425 Neonatal Loss…….HAND 832 615 2006 Death of Teenage Child……Joyce (281) 858-4551 or Brenda (281)804-7087 Accidental Death……..Annette (281) 578-9118 Death from long term illness…...Karen (832) 746-0279 Support for Fathers……..Albert (832) 885-4741 Special Needs Child……. Volunteer needed Suicide ...………..Rhonda (832) 282-7773 Cathy (832)-746-1980

Inner Loop Houston Monthly Meeting

The August monthly meeting of the Houston inner Loop Chapter is scheduled for Tuesday, August 20th. The topic Anxiety – Is It Just Me?” will be discussed. Anita Byars will facilitate the group discussion on anxiety as it relates to the grief proc-ess. Meeting time is 7:00 to 8:30 p.m. (Newcomer/Newly Bereaved meet-ing starts at 6:30 p.m) Inner Loop Houston monthly meetings are held at the First Uni-tarian Universalist Church, Fireside Room, 5200 Fannin, Houston, TX 77004

Special Small Group Meetings For Parents Whose Child

Was Lost to Suicide The Katy Chapter of TCF has a

unique program for parents whose children died from suicide. All par-ents attend the opening of our meet-ing each month and then adjourn to their own private meeting for the re-mainder of the meeting. Death from suicide usually requires additional and unique group dynamics. This program is offered only to parents who have lost children to sui-cide.

August 2013 Page 4

Dreams Lost On August 7, 2013, Matt would be 28 years old. He lived a short but intense life. He was the joy of my life: a normal, happy young boy for about 14 years, then he left my home and began us-ing drugs and his life changed completely, ini-tiating my guilt for causing the total upheaval of his life by divorcing. Accidents, totaled ve-hicles, arrests, uncountable court appearances, jail, fines, bail bonds, lawyers' fees, probation and unethical probation officers, uncaring judges, on the streets when I didn't know if he was alive or dead, picking him up or finding him anytime he called for help, rehabs, suc-cesses and failures. Recovering his truck after multiple impoundments, several almost OD's - one when I had to call for help from anyone who knew CPR. If not for that veteran who revived him, he would have died that day. Matt said maybe it would be for the best. There were great periods of optimism and happiness in recovery, then remorse for having used after periods of recovery. He beat himself up for it. Intense gratitude to the doctor who "gave him his life back" by prescribing Buprenorphine, a drug that can enable ad-dicts to function despite their addictions. I remember when he "graduated" from 5 months at Addiction Recovery Resources of New Orleans in Metairie, LA and secured his efficiency apartment after having been in the most meaningful and productive rehab. He was so excited when he texted me: "I got my keys!" I made many trips to Metairie and was so proud of his accomplishments. He went to work driving deliveries in big trucks. That was one of the happiest periods of his life which led to him going to driving school and getting his CDL. He was good at driving and enjoyed it. Things went south again after he met a girl who was also an addict and "in recovery". Matthew, like others you may have seen on TV, didn't want to be addicted. He and I both fought for his life for years against the demon heroin which had invaded his body and mind, but never his heart. He was the most loving of sons, never said a harsh word to me in his entire life. We were so close. I miss him so much. Recently I have been involved with some activities involving children. I love being around them and taking care of them as I took care of Matt. But after the experience is over, a meltdown comes on as I think about things that will never come to pass for us - dreams lost - my son getting married, his knowing the joy of having children of his own and of course, now no grandchildren for us. I don't know if it's worth it to interact with these kids when the backlash is so sad. The photo is Matthew at age 2, a beautiful child. I do know that, thankfully, I am not walking this path alone. We all experience and deal with this unbearable grief in our own way, as much as we are able to. For me, it's still intense and debili-tating at times. August 17 will be 20 months since Matt died.

Matt's loving Mom,

Susan TCF, Katy, TX

!"#$%&'()*++&'(

Leaving another summer behind, adding one more bouquet To your stores of remembrance, holding new images summerwarm to your mind. Leaving another summer behind, With old, familiar mementos of long-ago times in the sun. And did you discover once more how grief changes memories To anniversaries? ~Sascha Wagner, from The Poems of Sascha Wagner

Picture Buttons Picture buttons are free to our mem-bers. These are buttons that are made with various pictures of our children on them. If you would like a picture button, e-mail the picture you would like on the button to Annette Baldwin. If you have a digital output or an original photo that you want used, bring this to a meeting. Annette will scan photographs and create a digital print out. Digital (paper-not photographic paper) print outs are used on the buttons. We encourage our mem-bers to have at least one picture button of their children. There is no charge for this.

Subscribe to TCF Magazine We Need Not Walk Alone, the Maga-zine of The Compassionate Friends is pub-lished quarterly for bereaved parents and professional grief counselors. This is a beautiful publication which has a full color picture of a different butterfly on the cover each quarter. The writings and in-formation in the magazine are tailored specifically for bereaved parents and sib-lings. The cost is $20 per year. To subscribe, write or fax our national TCF office:

The Compassionate Friends, Inc. P.O. Box 3696

Oak Brook IL 60522-3696 Phone: (630) 990-0010

Fax: (630) 990-0246

Compassionate Friends Webinars

As bereaved parents, we know that there are times when there are no words to describe the depths of our pain and dev-astation. Especially during the holiday season, on birthdays and anniversaries and other special occasions, we seek answers, solace and peace. Check the Compassionate Friends website at www.compassionatefriends.org, click on news and events, then search for Webinars. Upcoming webinar events will be listed; some dates will be listed. When you see a webinar you in which you would like to actively participate, just click and register. To view the archives of webinars pre-sented by The Compassionate Friends, go to http://www.compassionatefriends.org/News_Events/Special-Events/Webinars. Whether you choose to participate or simply access the archives of webinars, we encourage to try this format and see if it has a place in your grief toolbox.

“You will lose someone you can’t live without, and your heart will be badly bro-ken, and the bad news is that you never com-pletely get over the loss of your beloved. But this is also the good news. They live forever in your broken heart that doesn’t seal back up. And you come through. It’s like having a broken leg that never heals perfectly—that still hurts when the weather gets cold, but you learn to dance with the limp.” ~Anne Lamott

August 2013 Page 5

Compassionate Friends Charitable Ranking In top .002 Percent

When contemplating a charitable dona-tion or recommending a charity to a friend, I always search the rankings for each char-ity. If the charity doesn’t rank in the top 10% nationally, I don’t recommend it and I don’t donate to it. When I read the ranking for The Com-passionate Friends, I was astonished. This organization which does so much for so many is ranked by the BBB’s Wise Giver Alliance which is an in-depth analysis of donations, spending, practices, informa-tional material and expenditures, as one of the very few with this special designation. Additionally, the Independent Charities Seal of Excellence is awarded to only a very few charities nationally. This organization does a rigorous review and certifies only the most well managed charities with spe-cial designation. The Compassionate friends is one of the top .02 percent of the 1,000,000 charities in the US to receive this remarkable recognition. We are proud that caring hearts are still at the center of our national organization, even as we experience tremendous growth. The volunteers who serve are all bereaved parents and several of the top executives are also bereaved parents. This has made all the difference in how our organization operates. You can recommend The Compassion-ate Friends, either at a local chapter level or a national level, with confidence that this charitable organization uses every penny wisely and reaches newly bereaved parents each day.

Grief Work is Hard Work

When I first began my journey of grief following the death my only child, Todd, I didn’t comprehend that I would have to take an active role in what would come to be defined as “grief work.” All I knew was the pain, the shock, the sorrow, the desire to go to sleep and never awaken. My child was dead, and I had no will to live.

As the months and then the years passed, I began to realize that I was, albeit unconsciously, doing grief work. Once I realized I could not walk this road alone, I became involved in our Compassion-ate Friends Chapter. That was the beginning of my “grief work.” A few months later I enrolled in a six week pro-gram for bereaved mothers. More grief work. I have since attended seminars, retreats and work-shops. From each effort I gained something new, something insightful, something that eased my burden just a bit, something that helped me to cope with this, the worst of all losses.

I consumed books. Some were about grief; others were about life. I watched movies, some about grief and some about life. I talked with friends…..sometimes about grief and some-times about life.

Along the way I found that if I reached out to others, I was, once again, doing grief work. Grief work is healing work. It doesn’t dry my tears, nor does it mend my broken heart. Instead, it allows me to accept that I am in this place and living in this moment. That does-n’t sound like much…..unless one has lost a child to death. Lost a child to death. What a horrifying thought. Yet now I can say it to others, talk with others who are raw and new in their grief and know that I have come to accept that my son is gone from this plane. My grief work will continue until I die.

When we attend workshops, seminars, workshops, retreats, special presentations, Compassionate Friends meetings and seek pro-fessional counseling and privately contemplate the depth of our loss and changes in our lives, we are doing grief work. Each of us travels this road differently, but we owe it to ourselves to do our grief work. Not easy work, not fun work, not immediately rewarding work, but this is work that a bereaved parent must do. This journey is not about passivity. We are active participants in the healing process.

Annette Mennen Baldwin

In memory of my son, Todd Mennen TCF, Katy, TX

Grief to Greatness Website Several of our members read this website daily. The message is transition to hope after the death of a loved one: http://grieftogreatness.com/index.html

In Memory of our Beloved Children Memorials Given by: In Loving Memory of:

Glen and Melinda Ginter John Robert Ginter Robin Conner Christopher & Dawn Wilson Joyce Dakin Kelly Brianne Leasher Jamie Lynn Leasher Lee & Sherrie Schurman Sandra Schurman Leslie Davidson Patrick Ross Davidson, Jr. Albert & Valerie Tapia Nicholas Albert Tapia Thank you for your donation to The Compassionate Friends, Katy, TX Chapter

Our chapter is operated entirely by volunteers dedicated to furthering the work of TCF. Your voluntary, tax deductible donations honor your loved one in a meaningful way by enabling us to print and mail this Newsletter and meet other expenses involved in reaching out to other grieving families. Donations along with the name of the person being honored may be sent to: Lisa Leanard 13814 Wheatbridge Drive Houston, TX 77041

“My freedom is the light of hope that shines from deep within my soul as I now hold my child in my mind and heart. For this mother, hope is know-ing that death does not restrict me from my child’s life. Death changes only the plane of our relationship, for I am his mother and he is my son. We will love our children for all eternity. That is the freedom in our harness that comes with consciously choosing hope.” ~From Choosing Hope, Annette Mennen Baldwin

Love's Lasting Touch

Don't weep for me when I'm gone, Because I'll always be there.

My spirit will exist in all the earth, In the water, trees, and air.

You'll hear me say, "I love you", In the whisper of a breeze.

You'll know that I'm beside you, With the rustling of the leaves. You'll feel my arms caress you, In the warmth of each sunrise.

The moon will be my goodnight kiss, The stars my watchful eyes. Your life will be my legacy, Your memories my epitaph.

These ties will bind us together, Till we meet on heaven's path.

I'll not ever desert you, We'll never be far apart. I'll live within you always,

Nestled deep inside your heart.

Jacquelyn M. Comeaux In Memory of My Angels...

Michelle, Jerry & Danny Copyright 1994

Reprinted by permission of author

The Compassionate Friends Katy Chapter P.O. Box 45 Barker TX 77413

Return Service Requested

Meeting: Tuesday, August 13, 2013

August 2013 Page 6

Articles & Poems For Our Newsletter

If you would like to submit a poem, a writing or a brief article (no more than 800-825 words) about your child or your grief journey for publication in our Katy Compassionate Friends newsletter, e-mail your work to Annette Mennen Baldwin at amennenbaldwin@hotmail.com. We en-courage our members to share their memories and thoughts with all of us.

Add A Page To Our

Chapter’s Memory Book We encourage each of our members to add a page to Chapter Memory Book….a page devote to your child. If you would like to include your child in this album, the page size is 8 1/2 x 11. If you need help designing a page or putting your thoughts into written form.

Check Out Our Library Our TCF library has many books, tapes, CDs and DVDs for our members. Each one has been carefully selected by a member of our TCF Chapter. The library is available for browsing before and during our meeting. Jan Bigbee Weesner is our librarian, and our steering committee has devoted much thought to the many books and our media in our library.

The LIGHT Program At Bo’s Place

Bo's Place also offers the LIGHT (Looking Inward Grieving and Healing Together) Program, an eight week grief support program for families with children ages 5 to 18 whose parent or sibling has died in a traumatic or sudden way, such as by car accident or other accidental death, murder, suicide, or unexpected medical emergency. The program provides families with a specialized curriculum in which they confront the reality of their loss and the tragic circumstances that were in-volved. Bo’s Place is located at 10050 Buf-falo Speedway Houston, TX 77054. The phone number is 713.942.8339. Website: Bosplace.org.

A First Love for Eternity Most moms remember their child’s first love as a sweet child, maybe in kindergarten, who stole their heart for just a little while. I remember my son’s first love: the Pontiac GTO. The first GTO was a model. Todd carefully assembled that model over a period of a few days one summer. Then, after an extensive search, he found the perfect teal color for the model. I still have that model on a special shelf. Each time I look at it, I marvel at the amount of time he dedicated to that one tiny car model. When Todd was 16, he bought a 1967 blue GTO. He worked on it, touched up the paint, kept it in pristine condition. He loved that car. But this wasn’t his true love. His true love was always a 1965 GTO. He and I talked about how he would find a GTO to restore. I sug-gested buying the mailing list of GTO owners in southeast Texas and sending out a postcard which is exactly what Todd did. For a week he heard nothing. Then one afternoon, a gentleman from rural east Texas called him and asked if he was interested in his 1965 GTO. Todd and my husband were on the way to the man’s home within an hour. Todd came home with a 1965 GTO that evening. And the res-toration began. For 12 years Todd invested any extra money he had in his GTO. The ground up restoration started the fall that he entered college. It ended three years after he finished graduate school. Piece by piece, part by part, Todd restored that beautiful car to its original glory. He was so very proud of the finished product. His dream had always been to show his 1965 GTO at Autorama which he did at Thanksgiving. He joined the Gulf Coast GTO Club, and participated in their events and always tried to show his car with them. He won second place in the National GTO show one year in Dallas. He won first place at Autorama in his class. He had so many trophies…..he would line them up for the car show displays in an ever growing row. Life had moved on: a wife, four children, a new home, another new home and finally the home of his dreams which he built in a lovely neighborhood west of Austin, took a great deal of time. But he always made time for his GTO. He kept his GTO spotless and drove it occa-sionally. He died five years after he completed his GTO restoration. Last weekend we changed the oil in Todd’s GTO, and I turned the key to make sure all was right. When I heard the sound of the engine, I could sense Todd sitting right next to me, smiling that big, happy GTO smile. If Todd is ever with me, it is when I sit in his GTO and listen to those three deuces purr as I glide through the four speeds. Unbidden tears ran down my cheek as I gradually increased the RPGs and reached over to touch the seat where I could feel Todd’s presence. I whispered, “I miss you so much, Todd.” I could hear him say, “I miss you, too, Mom.” Peace comes to us in our beautiful memories.

Annette Mennen Baldwin In Memory of my son, Todd Mennen

TCF, Katy, TX