Last Saturday afternoon I went out into the drizzly orchard for one of my favorite annual chores, pruning the olive trees that we planted with nephew David two decades ago. Over the years the trees have taught me what to lop and what to leave and have grown into fruitful Druids that yield an abundance of fragrant olive oil at harvest. When the drizzle turned to rain I retreated to the back porch and listened to the downspouts gurgle as I opened my iPad and read every response that you-all posted to the Lori Blog since September. And I cried.
I cried for the loss of extraordinary Lori but I cried as well for your extraordinary comments. You — Lori’s friends from Hanawalt Elementary School and Plymouth Church, my friends from Penn Charter, our neighbors and friends here in Sonoma, our families, people from Lori’s professional life some of whom I do not know — you got Lori. Nothing could be clearer. You treasured her abundant generous spirit, her smile, her courage, and her grace. You rooted for her at every stage of the new journey we all commenced together last September and you sent her heartfelt words of encouragement and love. Plus flowers. Plus food. Plus balloons and pink flamingoes. Plus cards and letters enough to fill a grocery bag. Plus no few of you flew across time zones to be with us when we celebrated Lori’s life on February 13. Plus eleven thousand dollars of memorial gifts to Seeds of Learning. And counting.
You have given this family much to be grateful for, and we thank you profoundly. Your responses blessed a mortal journey with kindness beyond measure. No few of you expressed gratitude for the impact Lori had on your lives — professional and personal. That was her gift, to infect us all — and me more than anyone — with the boon of love and acceptance and optimism.
No-one could hope for a better life mate; just ask me. No-one could hope for a better mother; just ask Kate and Tucker. They are Lori’s children and in them she lives, as they have demonstrated by reversing the prior order of things. Now they take care of me. Kate hauls baby Jack up here for smiles and gurgles and deep sharing. Tucker asked me along on a long-planned trip to the Philippines with his girlfriend Lise and her parents Zita and Mike. They kindly consented, so on the Thursday after Lori’s life celebration and Jack’s baptism, the five of us flew off to Manila.
There, we paid a visit to the U.S. Military Cemetery where the young man for whom I am named (as well as William Tucker Hutchinson) is memorialized on one of the many limestone slabs where sailors and soldiers who perished in the Western Pacific Theater during World War II are named. We found the slab on which William C. Williamson, Jr. Is remembered and gave thanks for him and the 53,000 others named there who bequeathed to us the world in which we live.
I had the incalculable blessing of being Lori’s William, and you to have known her. The Lori I loved is gone and I miss her, with you. If I knew a stronger word than Gratitude, I would employ it.
In Gratitude,
Bill
hutch adventure 2 
Thank you for your beautiful, sad, loving and inspiring sharing Bill!
Lori was so many things to so many of us! To me, a friend and mentor with love, kindness and wisdom that helped shaped who I am today.
I will always hold her grace, courage, beautyand guidance in my heart, with deep gratitude for having known her! RIP beautiful Lori 💖
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Wow Bill, you get to the heart of it with your beautiful, expressive writing. Thank you so much for sharing with us your thoughts and feelings over these many months during your travels and Lori’s illness. I am grateful for having you as a friend, for having known Lori and sharing with you and the family many wonderful experiences and activities. Thank you Mr. Bill…and by the way, I love the pencil tucked between your ear and cap in the photo. Nice touch! 😉 Love you. Keep the posts coming.
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Lori has been my right hand since her birth. Her spirit is active in my life today. She helped her three brothers with her spirit. We honor all that Lori and Bill have accomplished, and we also grieve.
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Dear Bill. You have been on my mind and I often think about the two evenings James and I were privileged to share with you and Lori here in Johannesburg in 2012- one at Thomas Maxwell Restaurant and the other at our new home. Thank you for your eloquent updates and for allowing us to share in this journey. We miss and love Lori and appreciate you for keeping us in the loop and sharing your feelings. Take care and hopefully the memories of all the wonderful moments you and Lori created together over the years will give you comfort during the hardest times. Big hug and love from South Africa x
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Dear Bill, you are a wonderful man who had a great life with Lori. She is looking over your shoulder now and wishing you the best in whatever you do going forward. Remember her smile, a certain joke or story she told that made you laugh so hard it made the muscles in your face would ache, the special look she would give you when you said or did something she really loved, or the special words/phrases you two shared that no one else would understand – but it meant something special to the two of you. Sending you a hug and glad you made the trip to Manila with your family.
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Well, shoot! I thought I was done with crying. Not. xxoo ME
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I have thought of Lori every day since my last visit with her. I apologized to her for the time it took me to get out to visit. She simply said, “The love is always there.” And still it remains…
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Thank you for sharing your stories with us! I was just thinking about you and wondering how you are doing. Three of my daughter’s friends are going to Nicaragua next week on the Seeds of Learning trip, so I made a donation to their trips in honor of Lori!! I hope you continue to post your memories and experiences….keeping Lori’s spirit alive in all of us! Blessings and hugs, Phylis
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Bill, you are very facile with words and expressing your feelings. Me, when I think of Lori’s beautiful life and its jarring conclusion….words fail me. Keep expressing and taking care of yourself.
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Bill, we didn’t get a chance to talk wth you at Lori’s memorial service on February 13th There were too many people all of whom were wanting your attention. Like everything you do the service was an extraordinary experience, beautifully and seamlessly combining the joy of her life and the sadness that she was taken from this world too early. I felt so privileged to have known Lori. And I feel joy in knowing you. Just the other day I came across the greeting card you both had given us on the occasion of our 50th anniversary party – six years ago. it was an exceptional card with a beautiful message and so I kept it. At Lori’s service I think I heard the word “love” over 100 times. Thank you for including us as you share your authenticity. Sending love
Jim & Niz
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Hey Bill,
Your writing is SO elegant. I recently bought and read your book, “When Dogs Ate Candles”…Wow! Should have been a best seller. Hope you are not too lonely. C’est la vie!
Best wishes.
Jean
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Bill, this is a wonderful tribute to Lori, your family and friends. I hope we’ll see each other again and invite you to come up over the hill when the sun starts shining again. 707-290 2122
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Extraordinary writing as usual. So good seeing you last Sunday, I truly will always be grateful for the love and warmth you and Lori have always shown Kaila, from birth onward. It’s what kept me and keeps me coming back to church with her. Filled with gratitude myself, Amy Seyms
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Very well said, my friend.
With abundant gratitude
Peter Henry
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Thank you so much for sharing your life with all of us, pain, sadness, and love…. All of it! You and Lori were so blessed to have each other. A marriage made by angels.
I am thinking of Lori and of you and your family. God bless you all!
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Love is beautiful in life and remains so with change. Loss is a misnomer since we all can love beyond time and space. Beautiful words, thoughts, caring and gratitude are lasting in love. All the best, blessing to you and your family.
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Bill, You are wonderful even when you are feeling deep grief. Thank you for being so open with your thoughts. They are really a celebration of a life lived very well. Lori’s energy, love and inspiration will live on. I miss them. Glen
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Dear Bill,
Thank you for your writing, It was nice to talk to you but difficult to express our feeling. Lori and you are in our thought. Last Thursday we have been in Chartres and you where present in our memories.
For me it was yersterday and I cannot imagine the long way you have made in this short time.
Enjoy the life with Kate, Jack, Owen, Tucker and Lise. You have a nice Family.
Bons Baisers
Colandi
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Thank you, Bill, for sharing the depth of your humanity with us. Know of our love and support. Norm
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Bill, thank you so much for your beautiful words and for sharing your sadness, your memories, your hope and your courage with us. Being in Lori’s presence- and getting infected with her enthusiasm and generosity- was always so life affirming. Your gorgeous words and tribute to her are the same. We think of you often, Bill, and send much love your way.
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Bill surely got the family talent for writing. I am amazed every time I read a post like this one how eloquent my little brother is. I can feel the grief and loneliness that he and Katie and Tucker are having right now. And he certainly got my tears flowing again. Lori would be proud of my flood! She was the best crier in our family, but also the best cheerleader, the most optimistic, and the most open. She shared her love with everyone and went out of her way to make connections and help others. And although we all miss her terribly, her spirit will live forever to comfort and amaze us all..
Hugs and love to you little brother and to Katie and Tucker
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Reading your post brought me back to the weekend after Jeff’s memorial – it was Thanksgiving and I was home alone. Jeff actually loved that American cemetery when I took him home to Manila so it even hit me more and I couldn’t help but grieve again not so much for me but the loss of loved ones so young. Time doesn’t really fade the pain but it does make it easier to smile through it. A love like yours and Lori’s is such a rare gift. She will always be the angel on your shoulder. And you will never feel alone.
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Beautifully expressed Bill! Taking time to reflect on everything and everyone that your life has been blessed with is so important. Taking that trip was brave and beautiful. I know from my own experiences how tough it is and how being that 3rd or 5th person feels. Once when invited to a friends for dinner I counted the place settings at the table and walked back to the host saying you’re missing one, she looked again and said no I think we’re good! I had a tough time counting myself as one. I counted on my friends and family to raise me up and continue to enjoy life. It happens but Lori will never be far from you! Fondly remembering Lori, Marion
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Dear Bill
As others have said you really have an amazing talent for writing and expressing yourself. I see more books written by you in the future. I loved being there for Lori’s service and reconnecting with her friends and family, but as others do, feel a profound sense of loss, each in our own way. I know you will keep her love and spirit alive. Hoping you will not suffer too much from the pain of your loss and will eventually be able to enjoy family, friends, travel and everything else that remains ahead in your future. Lori would have wanted that for you.
“The flame that burns twice as bright burns half as long”
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Grief comes in waves. You never know when it will hit you and the tears flow. Between those waves I hope you will find peaceful and sweet moments where you feel whole again. Thank you for expressing so eloquently your sadness and loss of beautiful Lori, and also your deep gratitude for the outpouring of love from family and friends near and far.
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Such a beautiful spirit, she has touched so many lives. Bill, your words touch so many hearts that knew Lori, and, I venture to guess, inspire many to live in a kind, loving way as Lori did. May her beautiful spirit sustain you and your family as you continue your journey of healing.
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Bill, our hearts and love are with you. we cannot imagine the silence and loneliness you feel, but pray that each day you will feel the the love and warmth of Lori in your soul and your heart. Please know you are forever family and are welcome in our family always. Sending love, Steve and Julie
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Thank you Bill for updating. We have often talked about Lori and have wondered how you are coping. I can’t imagine. You are in our thoughts. Love Stevie and Tom
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