Quiet
A quiet weekend. We had planned to join friends in Michigan to see their new house and celebrate some birthdays. Mel's death had left us pretty beat up though. Our friend wrote on Friday night and said she'd understand if we weren't up to the trip. I replied no, that we wanted to go...and we did. But when Ernie woke me up on Saturday morning I could hear in his voice that he wanted to do nothing more than stay home. He stood there talking to me and then laid across the foot of the bed like a little kid. He said he didn't feel good. It was the most un-Ernie like thing I've ever seen. We just looked at each other and then I said I would write our friend Val. Thank you SO much for understanding Val. You are a good and loving friend (I still have a birthday present for you too).
As the day wore on I was really glad we made the decision. We got in the car and went for a drive as we didn't quite know what to do with ourselves. We zigzagged south and just as we passed the Wee Warrior's Christian Academy in Tuscola, we saw a sign that said "The Egyptian Trail." We decided to follow that and headed south for a ways, the road getting smaller and narrower and rougher until it finally petered out.
I didn't even take any pictures as we drove. I'd feel that little jolt when I saw something that looked just right, like the grain elevators poking out above the trees just so, or the old farmhouse with an Avon sign in the front yard framed in old pipes. Eventually we found ourselves in Mattoon and we did take a few pictures before turning around and heading back up 45. We felt better though. Just driving through the country always heals whatever ails me, at least a bit.
We got home and Owen brought Ernie down to the basement where he'd discovered a new box of 45s. They'd even found my 45 of Def Leppard's Photograph that had the pop up camera cover. Owen took a video of it playing.
We sat and played 45s for a long time and laughed. I made a so-so dinner. It was a good day. It was what we needed. Thanks again for understanding Val.
Mel's obituary was in the paper today. Dede did a good job writing it.
URBANA – Mary Ellen "Mel" Farrell, 64, of Urbana, after a brave struggle, succumbed to terminal brain cancer at 6:09 a.m. Thursday (Sept. 3, 2015) at Carle Foundation Hospital, Urbana.
Mel was born on April Fools' Day 1951, in New York, to Wilbur and Marilyn Mangas. She is survived by her husband, David Gerard Farrell of Urbana, daughter DeDe Farrell (Katy Meehan) of Greensboro, N.C., her son Matt Farrell of Urbana, and her dog Oona; brother, Matt Mangas (Dorothy) of Cape Coral, Fla.; and sister, Sally Mangas of Hampton Bays, N.Y.
The list of things Mel enjoyed is too long to note, and her life, far more impressive than could possibly be contained in one statement. Mel loved food, music, wine, gardening, travel, reading, and bringing her family and numerous friends together for good times.
She was the consummate hostess and invitations to her table were highly prized. The local food and specialty libations scene in C-U would not be as it is without the mark she left on it.
Although she was raised in the New York/New Jersey area, she came to the University of Illinois in the late 1960s to study anthropology and dance. In 1969, she was one of the 400,000 who made the pilgrimage to a dairy farm in the Catskills to see a little rock 'n' roll concert, Woodstock.
While studying at the UI, she met and fell in love with the area, and her husband of 43 years, Gerard Farrell, and never left.
In the early years, she worked at Record Service slinging music and tickets and at Art Mart making delicious confections.
By the mid-'80s, she returned to the university to pursue a master's in library science, and worked for many years in the UI library system.
Additionally, she served for over 20 years on the Board of Trustees for the Urbana Free Library.
Upon retiring from the university, she was compelled to continue working, so she started part time at the Common Ground Food Co-Op, where she may have served you a glass of wine or beer at a tasting.
Mel made herself known all over the C-U area and could be found regularly at the Urbana Farmers' Market, Prairie Fruits Farm, Krannert Center for the Performing Arts, yoga and pilates classes, and at many of C-U's finer dining establishments.
You may also have enjoyed her commentary as an active contributor to the New-Gazette's Opinions section.
Mel lived every day with sincere enthusiasm and never let her cancer keep her from staying busy and active until the very end.
Many of you know her iconic, raucous laugh, brimming smile that lit up the room, and her wine glass holding pouch. Mel never met a stranger, and the friends who will mourn her passage will be legion.
A celebration of her life will be held at a later date, so the scores of people who were touched by her can all attend.
Please express your thoughts on her Facebook page, or talk about her and share your stories/pictures/videos with others, plant a tree/flowers, sip a wine or throw a drink back.
She was a community creator, so let's keep this one growing; that is what she would have wanted.
Sunset Funeral Home Champaign-Urbana Chapel is in charge of arrangements.
In addition to her Facebook page, please join Mel's family in sharing thoughts, memories and video at her tribute wall at www.sunsetfuneralhome.com.
Oh, and here's the picture I was looking for the other day! The night of our 25th anniversary----surprising us at the Esquire, and later contributing to the dinner made by our dearest friends....