Thursday, August 1, 2024

The Weekend Started With A Memorial Service Celebrating The Life Of Our Friend, Steve Collins!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


                                       The service was held on Saturday, July 27, at 5:45 in the evening.  It really was a celebration of Steve, pictured on the left.



                                       Steve and I met in 1994, and our interests in theater and his in music and opera fueled our friendship.  Steve was also incredibly kind and understanding.  He was a good listener and helped me through some rough times.  Just by talking with him.



                                      But what cemented our friendship was the discovery that we were both born on the exact same day--November 18, 1954.  Steve was born early in the day, while I, a preemie, emerged late that evening at 11:45PM.  I always kidded Steve that I was still the youngest, and he would just laugh about it.


                                        We had our likes and dislikes.  He tried to convince me Gwen Verdon was the greatest dancer of our generation, and while I admired Gwen's talent, for me it would always be Donna McKechnie, having seen her in the original production of "A Chorus Line" in 1975.



                                            Steve--how I miss him.  The courage with which he met his illness head on was equal to Scarlett O' Hara.  How I admired it.



                                              And how I cherished the time we spent together, where it seemed none of us could stop talking.  Just ask my beloved, David, as he witnessed firsthand interactions between Steve and I.



                                                I shall remember Steve for all this and will wish for more.  Maybe in the next life, where we will still argue over Gwen and Donna.  And other sundry chats.

                          

                                          Fly away, Steve.  "Just as far as your vision reaches."

                                                                         --Stephen Schwartz, "Meadowlark"


2 comments:

  1. what a sweet picture.
    and what a beautiful friendship.
    🎼In the sweet by and by, we shall meet on that beautiful shore...

    ReplyDelete
  2. Victoria,
    thank you for your comments. It was a beautiful service, but sad. I miss Steve very much.

    ReplyDelete