It was Saturday morning, at my desk, when my mother called me to tell me of Vivian’s passing. Let me explain, our insurance agency is open a half day on Saturdays, and that for so many years Vivian would be one of the few people working alongside of me, and often my mother. Vivian’s hours had her coming late and then staying late; so many nights, after others left, it was just the two of us answering phones and helping customers. While it has been several months since she had been well enough to work, customers would still call asking for her, or about her. Many long-time clients would call and ask “How is Vivian feeling, Please let her know she is in our prayers.”
I approached Sharon, who has been with us at Urban for more than 30 years and was very close to Vivian and explained that I wanted to write something and asked for her guidance. I also asked for a picture of Vivian I could include, since all of the pictures I had were group shots. Sharon realized that she also had no images of Vivian alone, and reached out to her family who were gracious in sharing cherished photographs. As pictures arrived, none had Vivian alone. There was no collection of “Selfies,” no pictures of her posing next to some object; each image had her surrounded by people. Family, friends, co-workers, parishioners; but never alone.
She loved being with, and connected to, her community and she was one others could turn to for support and strength. She was so proud of her family, delighting in their success, and weeping with them in moments of sorrow. She could lose herself in one of the fifty plus, mainly romance, novels she read each year, but she would set the book down when anyone needed to talk.
Vivian was never alone in life, and she is not alone now. She will live forever in the minds, stories and yes, photos of all who loved her, of all the lives she touched.
Larry Lubell on behalf of all of us at Urban Insurance Agency
