Wednesday, June 6, 2007

FOREVER FRIENDS - #2

I've talked a lot about my forever friend, Joan, now it's time to introduce you to my other forever friend, Bev. This picture is of her and Mickey on a balloon ride in Albuquerque in 1981.


Bev and I met in early 1958. She was 17, and already married to Jim, and I was 19, and dating Mickey. We worked together and became good friends almost instantly. One of the first things I did was introduce her to Joan. The three of us became close. After Mickey & I married both Bev & Joan and their husbands began attending the same little Independent Baptist church I attended. These were great years of growing in the Lord for all of us. We were all raising our young families and sharing everything. We rotated going to one of our homes every Sunday for dinner. We would play cards 'til the wee hours on Friday nights, with all our kids asleep on pallets on the floor. Bev & Jim had one son and 2 daughters.


I have lots of pictures of all of us from these years but they are all on the 35mm slides that I have not been able to get into my computer yet so I'll just have to share older pictures of us!!



This picture was taken of Joan and Bev in 1981.



This is another 1981 photo of Bev presenting Mickey with a painting of Minnie Mouse she had done for him. That's me in the blue jacket. Bev was absolutely one of the most talented people I know. She could, and did, do anything and everything. Her kids, and Joan & mine too, didn't think there was anything she couldn't fix with scotch tape, and/or duck tape, or staples.




This picture was taken in 1984 as Mickey & I were moving into our beautiful Albuquerque home (that we had to force sell). Mickey kneeling, Jim in white shirt, me on my knees and Bev in the red. Bev & Jim helped me so much with painting, wall papering and a lot of things on this home while Mickey and Marc were back in Tulsa getting my mother and packing up things there.





This picture was taken in El Paso, TX at a balloon rally. Bev is on the left, then me, our youngest son, Marc, Mickey, Darlene (another Albuquerque friend who went down with us) and the 2 other girls are locals that helped us that day.






This picture is my two forever friends as they light candles for Mickey and my marriage renewal vows


October 1, 1988.

Bev was so instrumental in helping me plan,
organize and pull off this event. Lots more on that when I post about it.


Bev and I were totally seeking God and God's will in every aspect of our lives. We would read something in a book and call each other and spend hours on the phone discussing it. We were avid coffee drinkers and would go to a restaurant for a cup of coffee and sit for hours talking. We use to tease the waitresses that they needed to charge us "rent" for the booth. This would always be mid-afternoon when the restaurant was basically empty. The one question Bev kept asking me over and over again was,


"Susan, what does it mean to die to your self?"

Seven months and 10 days after the above picture was taken, on May 11, 1989,
my wonderful friend went to Heaven to see her Jesus and sit at His feet.

She was 49 1/2 years young.


Several week prior, on her way to work, she suffered 3 brain aneurysms. She lost control of the car and careened into the on coming traffic. Luckily she did not hit anyone. That was an angel of God occurrence as it was 8:30 a.m. traffic.

She lay flat on her back in the hospital for several weeks.

The last time Joan and I visited her she looked up to the ceiling and said "Oh look!!!! Can you see them? The flowers!! Oh look, look they are so beautiful!! Can you see them?" We both assured her we saw them.

She was flown to San Francisco via ambulance plane for surgery by one of the most renown brain surgeons. She & Jim made the trip alone. They were going to operate on one of the aneurysms and then do the other's later. The first surgery went so well the Dr. made the decision to go ahead and perform the second. She died during that surgery. Poor Jimmy was there all alone.

Her funeral was so huge they were standing all around the edge and outside. She had worked her entire life in the insurance industry and had risen to the top in her field, She was very respected professionally, an active member of Calvary Chapel and loved by all us who called her friend. Few could have loved her more dearly than I did and I still miss her terribly to this day.

Beverly Doris Dickman Bruskas

November 11, 1940 - May 11, 1989

Sister in the Lord

Friend Forever

24 comments:

CaraqueƱa said...

What a wonderful story, what a life, what a friend! Aren't we thankful to God for friends?! Praise God that she knew Him and now sits at His feet! Have a wonderful day, Susan!

Jennifer said...

What a beautiful tribute to your friend!
I love looking at the clothes you all wore back then.
LOL

Nadine said...

What a beautiful story of love and friendship. She was so young and yet how wonderful is it that you have the promise of seeing her again one day. Thank you for sharing.

Susie said...

A wonderful tribute to your dear friend Bev. The three of you will certainly have wonderful times once you're all together again...
xo

Annie said...

This post gave me chills Susan.
Friends are a blessing sent from God.
I know she will forever remain in your heart.

Pen of Jen said...

Oh Susan I feel like I just lost a dear friend. I am so happy that she is with Jesus.

What a neat friendship that you had and still cherish.

I am sending NM ((hugs)) for you and thank you so much for sharing Bev. I am so happy to know that you all shared your love of the Lord, your families, and eachother.


Love Jennifer

Momma Roar said...

What another sweet tribute of a forever friend! You are so blessed with these friends - and even though you had less years with Bev than you planned - you were able to share so much and grow so much in the Lord.
I enjoy reading your stories so much!

Love,
Leigh Ann

(ps - we arrived safely at 8am and the sun is shinging...yet, I'm here blogging...I think it is an addiction)

Christy said...

That was a beautiful story!!

I am so glad that you had an opportunity to have her in your life, just think of the reunion you will have!

Frazzled Farm Wife said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Frazzled Farm Wife said...

What a sweet story Susan! What a shame that you lost such a great friend so early but glad that you were given the chance to have her in your life.

Jill said...

This is just so beautifully written, Susan. It gave me goose bumps. The same thing happened to my aunt, my dad's only sister... brain aneurysm while driving. I know you miss her terribly.

Barbara said...

How blessed you are to have life long friends like that. Sad that you lost one in such circumstances but wonderful to know that she went to be with her Lord.
Well I make out that I have done 97 posts Susan but Blogger tells me 100 so I'll take the middle number. You know I knocked my front teeth out also!!

Anonymous said...

What a wonderful forever friend she was. I am so sorry you had to lose her, way too soon. I loved reading this tribute to Bev!!!

Tina said...

That was beautiful Susan. I think your friends are just about the most blessed people in the world to have you for a friend.
Thank you for sharing another piece of your life.

Carole Burant said...

You were indeed very lucky to have known Bev as a best friend also...she was much too young to die, though:-( I had a best friend, Jane, who passed away from cancer when she was 40...I still miss her to this day. Such a beautiful heartwarming tribute to your forever friend Bev. xox

Tammy said...

Oh...such a beautiful but poignant story...I am so sorry you lost this true forever friend at such a young age. But so wonderful to have had her in your life and know you will see her again.
Thank you for sharing this...and for a reminder to all of us to treasure our closest friends all the more!
Blessings!

Unknown said...

Such a sad ending to a beautiful tribute. She was obviously loved by many.

Ruth said...

What a beautiful friend! I'm sorry she had a short life here on earth, but it's awesome she is in heaven. Thank you for sharing her with us.

Lori said...

That is so great to have those forever friends.
Thanks for sharing the story with us.

... said...

what a blessing; to have two such special and long time friends.

is that a picture or a cake that she is presenting to mickey? either way, you can tell, from what you wrote and the pictures, what great memories you have.

Myrna said...

I'm behind on reading posts this week!

The story of your friendship with both Joan and Bev is beautiful--A tribute to them and friendship in general.

How wonderful it will be to one day see all the friends and loved ones who have gone ahead. She will be waiting for you.

sandy said...

That was a beautiful tribute and I have goosebumps reading it. What a wonderful friend you two were to each other. Thanks Susan, for sharing your life here. I enjoyed getting to know a little bit more about you.

I have one of those friends who back in the day we would call each other and talk for hours about God and life...not so much anymore..but back then we could do marathon phone calls.

sandy

Peculiar Blogs said...

beutiful post about Bev, thanks for sharing Susan. I feel as if I knew her and loved her too.

Unknown said...

Hi Susan, On a whim I put my mom's name in the search engine, not expecting anything to come up since she died before the web was common use. But, I found this page dedicated to her. It was very nice to read it.

I hope all is well with you.

Lanai Bruskas Kinsky