The morning was filled with energy, love, awareness, surprises, laughter, and tears. As George McLaird said, “Wow! What a service!”
Below is some of Ralph Hooper’s lovely letter about Carol Cunningham
(Below right) Carol shared Paul’s blessing with us, which she artfully created and printed on her own press (click for larger version).
Above: The SPC choir, loving Carol now and forever, on the day of her service.
Carol, singing in the choir (she is in front, second from left)
Some loving words from Ralph Hooper, our music director’s letter about Carol
Dear Friends,
We have all lost a dear friend, our very dear Carol who passed last night.
There are no wonderful, delightful adjectives that do not apply to this amazing woman and artist. She was a wonderful friend, an incredibly talented and generous artist and a great chorister!
If we had a prize for choir faithfulness, dedication and punctuality, Carol would be the immortal, supreme prize winner. Her attendance record could only be challenged in earlier times by the also amazing Ardelle Cross. Carol invariably showed up on Thursday nights right after 7 PM. We would chat about many things and always speculate on how many choristers would be on hand that evening – with a twinkle in her eye.
Carol’s sense of humor, a quality I prize perhaps more than any other, was sharp and yet loving and delightful.
There have been three amazing women who basically created and sustained our choir over decades: Doris Donaldson who devoted 41 magnificent years to its creation and nurturing, Ardelle Cross who was its anchor and soul for so many years and Carol who was also its soul and light.
The thought of singing this fall and at Christmas Vespers without Carol is too painful and shocking to bear right now. But Carol would be the first to tell us to get a grip and start rehearsing. We will dedicate this year’s Vespers to Carol. Carol will be with us celebrating all the way.
Photos by Janice Graham, final photo by Shirley Latta, thank you!