Cristi Lamb (Persephone) R.I.P.

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
261

Damn,I hate this. I usually don’t post to threads where everyone has said everything that can possibly be said,but I LIKED Persephone,even though I can’t remember ever trading posts with her.

Like all the others who didn’t really know her,but thought she was a genuinely nice person,I wish to say that after reading her posts for at least four years,I KNOW she was.I believe it was quite evident.

My thoughts are with all who knew her,especially Euty,because I know what it’s like to have the woman you love suddenly cease to exist.To say time will heal this,although it’s probably true,is meaningless.Just keep trying to go on for one minute,and then another,and…

262

Cristi, not Cheri. Christ, I’m an idiot sometimes.
Fuck, I can barely see to type. …

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My sincerest condolences. I’ll pray that everyone can find some sense in this, and eventually peace.

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My condolences to Tim, her children, Euty, and her friends online and IRL.

We gotta stop losing members this way.

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Thanks, Cajun Man, for the Algonquin photo of me and my Two Glamorous Redheads [tm]. That’s being printed out and going right into my photo album.

Is anyone doing anything about printing out Persephone’s threads to save for her children?

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I’m so sorry! My thoughts are with her many friends and loved ones.

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I’ll do it, if no one else has already begun. It’s the least I can do.

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I never really knew her, but I wish I did. My condolences to those she’s left behind.

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Cristi was one of the main reasons why I came here… and stayed.

I never met her in person;
But that never stopped me from loving her none the less.

My deepest sympathy.

I will miss her, always.

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Just last month, Persephone posted this in the What Have Dopers Done For You?" thread, and I thought it needed to be cut-and-pasted here:

*I can’t tell you how much help, kindness, and friendship I’ve gotten from Dopers. To do so would keep you here all day, and probably end up killing the hamsters. Dopers aren’t just my “online friends.” They’re my friends.

The Michigan Doper Contingent is awesome. People such as cranky, mrblue92, xploder, Brynda, Rick, Kyla, (no longer a Michigan Doper, but she’ll always be one in my heart), juniper, (also gone from the state, which is a major bummer), Shadowfox, wring, BunnyGirl, ShirleyUjest… good heavens, the list is endless, and I know I’m missing some people. Y’all just rock.

But there’s others I’ve formed some seriously tight friendships with. That list is huge. People like Scotticher, zyada, manhattan, Billdo, RTFirefly, Gorgon Heap, Acrylic Vessel, Geobabe, UncleBill… And on and on and on!

Then there’s the people on my speed-dial. Zappo, True Pisces, Verrain, and DAVEW0071. Without you, I think I’d be dead. You’re there. You’re just always there, 24-7, through everything I’ve been through the last couple of years.

And of course, Eutychus. The best friend I’ve ever had. Wouldn’t want to live without him. I love him so much that I’m actually going to pay attention to the Super Bowl this year, because his beloved Patriots are playing.

I know there’s people I’ve missed. Just let it suffice to say that if you’re reading this, you’ve probably helped me in one way or another. Good vibes, an email, a butt-kicking when necessary–I know it, I’ve felt it, I appreciate it, and I’ve learned from it.

Thanks. To everyone.*

271

I’m so sorry. My condolences and support to all…

272

This place is gonna be a lot emptier.

I’m so sorry.

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I told Tim today I’d do that for him. Also will link to them for her aunt and mom.

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I did three of them earlier today, but I ran out of paper, believe it or not. I’m going to pick up some more on the way home tomorrow.

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I never made it to this board to see any of Cristi’s posts until after she passed away, but it is obvious that she was very special to many, many people here. My sincerest condolences to all who all knew her and will miss her.

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I’m mostly a Live Journal girl now, but I’m coming out of my lurkdom to tell you about Cristi.

Cristi was the very first person I ever met from the SDMB, way back in 1999. She invited a bunch of strangers to her home for the first Michigan Dopefest. We laughed and joked and had a great time. Over the last 4-1/2 years, we have attended many of the same Dopefests together and she was always the shining star of the group that everybody would gravitate to. Her smile was infectious. We exchanged the occasional e-mail or phone call. But I confess I didn’t get to know her as well as I probably should have. Now I’m never going to get that chance again.

To Tim, Diana, John, and Patrick: My very deepest condolescences on your tremendous loss.

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Billdo, that was a touching tribute. You are to be commended for such a touching eulogy.

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… I’m so sorry that we must meet like this. I’m not really ready to say much, other than thank all of you wonderful friends of Cristi’s so much. She would be so touched to be reading these tributes to her.

Yesterday afternoon, at Cristi’s uncles house, we gathered together our beautiful kids, Cristi’s mom and her boyfriend, who the kids know as grampa, Cristi’s dad and his wife, and many many aunts, uncles, cousins, etc. The children were surrounded by family that they all know and love very much. There was also a social worker present. I then proceeded to carry out the hardest task I’ve ever had to perform in my life - telling the children that their mama had died. Oh, I can’t tell you what hell I’ve gone through leading up to this moment. But, they took it well. They cried with their little faces buried in my chest for a long time. Slowly they came around, eventually getting back into playing with one another, eventually smiling, eventually laughing… and then I knew that they were going to be OK. For now anyway.

They were at the visitation today. They were brought there by their grandma and grandpa (Cristi’s dad and his wife) before I arrived. They saw their mama before I got there, and I was told that they cried for awhile, but by the time I arrived they were in the playroom with their other little cousins playing and laughing. So, I think they’re going to be OK. Please keep praying for them.

Cristi looks beautiful, as she did in life. It was much easier for me to see her today because my last memory of seeing her was finding her here at home, and I’m glad that I have this to replace that memory.

Our last days together were the most peaceful, friendly, loving, and caring that we’d had together in a long long time. We’d accepted what was going on in our lives, and both of us were looking forward to moving on with our lives. We were not just tolerating each others presence - we’d become buds. It was never spoken, but I could feel her love and care for me, and I know that she felt mine. It’s just that the romance was over.

I last saw her alive at approximately 9:00 that evening. I’d came home to grab a couple guitars and go to a rehearsal. She met me at the door and was acting very happy, and was extremely pleasant to me. She said that the kids were in bed, but not yet sleeping. She sat back down in front of the computer and as I turned to go out the door, she looked up, smiled and waved and said “Goodnight”. I smiled back and said “Goodnight”. After leaving there, I felt something there - I really did. I remember thinking “Wow, we’re actually buddies”. I can’t tell you how much that means to me, knowing that our last days together, right to the end, were some of our happiest together in years.

I really want to know how Patrick is. Anyone with any info please email me at:

timjonlamb@hotmail.com

My heart goes out to him. I know how much he meant to her, and he took it really hard when I told him. I tried to be gentle, and told him to sit down before I told him. Anyone having any contact with him please let him know that I’m concerned about him, I hold no grudges against him, and I wish him no ill will. I really feel Cristi’s presence with me in trying to locate, and find out how Patrick is doing. I feel her worry for him, and out of respect for the people and things that are important to her, I must know that he’s OK.

I don’t know when I’ll return to this board, but keep in mind that I am still reading these wonderful tributes to a wonderful lady from her wonderful friends.

I go by this name “trag-o-caster” on various guitar related message boards - mainly the Telecaster Discussion Page ReIssue (or TDP-RI), which is a board that discusses the Fender Telecaster guitar. Such a wonderful group of folks they are too. They can be found at telecaster.com, if you’re interested.

I’m sure that I’ll be back here occasionally very soon too.

Cristi sends her love to all from afar.

So much for not wanting to say much. There still so much more to tell, but this is quite enough for now.

I’ll give our babies a big hug from everyone.

God bless you all!

Tim

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I will always remember Cristi’s radiant smile calling to me from across a huge restaurant (America in NYC) as I came in the door. She was sitting at the bar at the back with a bunch of people. I wasn’t having the best weekend (and things were soon to get worse; I was later robbed on the subway), but her smile upon seeing me just melted everything away, and I felt good, and I rushed up to her, and she was so happy to see me again. When I think of her, I’ll always remember that moment.

Thanks for posting that, Tim.

280

Thanks for your long and thoughtful post, Tim.

While driving in to work this morning, I remembered that someone had posted on your behalf that you were going to be telling Diana and John, this past weekend, that their mother was gone. I was wondering how that had worked out. It’s hard for me to imagine how difficult that must’ve been, and I’m relieved to know they’re taking it OK for now.

My thoughts and prayers are with you as you begin the task of being both father and mother to your children. And yes indeed, please give them a hug for all of us.

You asked about Patrick. Thanks to some help from his friends here, he will be there for Cristi’s funeral. I think he’s traveling out to Flint tonight.