Margaret Mc Kechron Krarup

I met Margie Krarup in Pezenas in France and I became friends with her and her husband, Thure.  It was sadly to be a short stay in France for their retirement as he died fairly soon after their arrival.  After a time we found ourselves seated together at a dinner party given by mutual friends.  Did they plan it for us ?  We will never know but only a week or so later I invited her to dine with me in my favourite auberge and it went rapidly onwards from there.

It soon became obvious to us that we would become more than just good friends and the next ten years or so became a most loving relationship.  We had so much in common.  We travelled the world - yes, all the way round !  We loved music, books, theatre, good food and wine and just being together for most of our time.  We considered the world to be ours.  It was ideal for us as we were both still in the process of grieving for a lost partner. We were able to comfort each other and support each other when things didn't go quite right.  We, together, turned the home that Margie and Thure had planned together into what they had seen in their own minds.  I created garden pools, fountains, rock gardens and much more for her.  We were ideally happy.

Sadly, it turned out for reasons that were impossible to remove, that when her family decided that she should return to the United States I was not able to accompany her. Our plans to meet occasionally over the future years were not realisable and we had to stay in communication by frequent telephoneing and writing.  Margie never really setlled down, never made new friends and died with her family around her on Christmas Eve 2012.

My sadness will last, I know, for the rest of my life. She will live in my memory for ever.