For those of you that have yet to be informed, and for those of you
that have already heard, I have the great displeasure of informing you
that our dear friend Pam is no longer with us. Those of you who do not
know her by this name will know her by this Journal.

  
    Monday, January 7th, she went to the doctor and received a
prescription for an upper-respiratory infection which advanced to
pneumonia. Wednesday she woke with breathing problems and was rushed to
the hospital for respiratory arrest, passing from total cardiac arrest
shortly after reaching the hospital.

    Viewing was at the Plumb-Smith Funeral Home in Flint Friday night,
with the Funeral service 1:00 PM Saturday, January 12. I regret not
being able to pass this information to you sooner. Her body rests in
Sunset Hills Cemetery, Flint, Michigan, though we know she has gone
elsewhere, and we all take part of her with us in memory.
 
    Throughout her life, Pam overcame a number of various medical
problems, including two brain surgeries, epilepsy, and unspecified
neurological and metabolic problems. Her back and knees failing her, she
went from not being able to stand of long periods, to using a cane, and
for the past few years used a wheelchair to cover long distances, often
relying upon her close friend Jim to get from place to place. With all
this, she continued on driving up to the far too soon end of her life,
as in her words, it is better to drive than to ride.

    Pam was an avid role-playing enthusiast, playing and running such
games as Dungeons & Dragons, Traveller, and others far too numerous to
mention. Attending a regular game every Saturday (note attending not
always playing as we gamers often find something else to do when we
gather) with friends in Ypsilanti, Michigan. Participating in her last
game session at the Red Dragon Hobby Shop on Friday, January 4th, Pam
played Ringworld with friends into the night. Not only playing and
running games, Pam was also working on a game system with Jim. Recently
play testing, the game had been being worked upon for many years. Atop
this, she still found the time to help with many aspects of another
friends own game system. Online, Pam played World of Warcraft,
GuildWars, and a number of play by Email/Post games including a favorite
of hers based upon the Japanese anime SAIYUKI. Not only playing games,
Pam was a writer of various short stories and fan fiction. Her most
recent short based in the Saiyuki universe was posted recently as a gift
for an online friend, and may be found online, though I know not where.

    Forever a student of life, Pam had a great thirst for knowledge of
all sorts. Studying a vast range of languages, from French in high
school, to Russian in college, and a smattering of Latin, Spanish,
Arabic, and Esperanto. In recent years, her attention was directed at
Japanese, not only the language but the culture and way of life. Often
spending many nights with friends at a local restaurant, The Country Sun
in Davison, she would study, write, and converse over a meal or glass of pop

    Pam is survived by her mother, Ellie; older brother, David; niece,
Rachel; and aunt, Hazel; Not to forget her friends, close and far, of
all ages and calls of life.

    Pam often said that she was not a good person, and to steal the
words of one of her closest friends, she was right, she was more, she
was a great friend. We have all lost a great friend, a great teacher, a
great companion in her passing. For those of us that knew her
personally, she will live on in our memories of her warm laugh,
welcoming smile, sarcastic yet friendly remarks, and the many other ways
in which she touched our lives.

    Pam will be missed by all who knew her, and though they do not know
it, those that will not have the chance to meet her.

If you would, please pass this on to those who knew her as I can say
that I do not know all of those that should be included.