In memorium...

[kjpepper]

I just found out that one of the most colorful people I've had the priviledge to know at Smith passed away over Christmas.

Her name was Mary Elizabeth Robinson, I called her Mary E. She was a fellow Lamonster, an avid MSFCer (she was Kiraluna), and out of everyone I've ever known, she was the person most comfortable with her sexuality and (outwardly, anyway) her size. She was the person who introduced sundart and I to the wonders of Good Vibrations (and would show off her purchases to all of us with great glee), had different names and personalities assigned to each of her breasts, and organized the midnight pornography parties in Lamont living room that were invitation only but people always crashed them. She also, for all I know, still holds the Residence and Dining Services record for messiest room on campus.

She and I would have long chats in the dining room after midnight (cause we both kept extremely late hours) about the trials and tribulations of dealing with black middle-class parents and their black middle-class aspirations for their decidedly, er, countercultural kids. She was also probably the other black girl on campus who didn't give a fuck about what her hair looked like, and so we bonded over that. :) She was funny, brash, and had the sweetest smile this side of civilization. Not to mention gave good hugs.

We'll miss you Mary E. Thanks for joining us - we enjoyed you while you were here.

merry ye meet, merry ye part, merry ye meet again.

Comments

[athene.livejournal.com]

WOW! What happened! I remember Mary E. She was so much fun.

organized the midnight pornography parties in Lamont living room that were invitation only but people always crashed them
except if you were me and Ms. Priss would kick you out and then talk about you behind your back...

P.S.

[athene.livejournal.com]

You might want to post the info to smithalums

Re: P.S.

[kjpepper.livejournal.com]

thanks, will do...

[beatgoddess.livejournal.com]

:( I'm sorry about your friend. What happened?

[kjpepper.livejournal.com]

No idea, but I do know she had various things wrong in the lower digestive/reproductive area, so it could have been any number of things.

[beatgoddess.livejournal.com]

*unhappy*

[nireena.livejournal.com]

im sorry you lost a friend, hun. *hug* sounds like she was a really cool person.

this is a deep nadir of suckiness

[smithie.livejournal.com]

At least I discovered in the process of telling Scott that he had long since forgotten and forgiven the "cracker-ass cracker" comments ME made in the wake of the Columbine shootings.

I'm scanning the pic I have right now, and it's taking for-freaking-ever, which gives me a lot of time to sit here at the pooter and get myself all worked up about the utterly random nature of death.

Re: this is a deep nadir of suckiness

[kjpepper.livejournal.com]

*bwah!* I'd forgotten about that, man, was that funny.

*HUG*

[darkling-dreams.livejournal.com]

I am so sorry that Mary Elizabeth is gone. I didn't know her well but I enjoyed her company very muchly the times that she joined our small gatherings in Lamont. She was kind and welcoming and always made me laugh.

Re: *HUG*

[kjpepper.livejournal.com]

thanks

yah, she was a character. She will be missed.

*hug*

[gossamer-gull.livejournal.com]

I'm sorry, hon. I remember you always having nothing but good things to say about Mary Elizabeth. (I think I might have met her once, but I'm not sure....I know I've seen pictures of her from your Lamont years.)

I'm here if you want to talk.

sad news, but news nonetheless

[smithie.livejournal.com]

I saw Kara Ralston '01 at a Smith event last night and she told me that she'd had lunch with ME last spring. Apparently ME was using a cane and seemed quite ill. In addition to her down-there problems, she had also been put on lithium and was having rationality issues to the point where Mr. Robinson accompanied her to her lunch with Kara and waited outside to bring her home. So I gather that this tragedy wasn't a complete out-of-the-blue shock to ME's parents, which is good, I guess.

Re: sad news, but news nonetheless

[kjpepper.livejournal.com]

Ya, I talked to her last around this time last year as well, knew about most of that... just hadn't realized it had gotten bad enough to be life threatening.

Carole and I did literally find a stack of Mary E pics, will have to scan them this week.