Laura Sprague, friend and mentor

Dear Mark and Ethan,

Just wanted to send these two photos to commemorate the Jennifer I knew.

She was such a dear one—from the moment I met her when I was a counselor at Morehead State University's Gifted & Talented Camp and Jennifer was one of my campers. She was so bright-eyed and PASSIONATE! I adored her, and we started writing letters right after camp that summer; she had so many questions about what college would be like. The photo on the left is from when she visited me at Yale (some 40 years ago!).

I graduated and she started the same year. Our letters continued—through college, jobs, marriages, births, deaths, divorce, degrees, careers—and when her letters arrived, I'd immediately make a cup of tea and sit on the couch and simply savor BEING with her because she conveyed her entire being in her writing. I feel SO GRATEFUL that over the last few years we even had in-person visits and I could feel her tight hugs and was also able to spend time with you, Mark and Ethan, observing what a cozy home and fulfilling life had built for yourselves. The photo on the right is from my last precious visit last March. I'm heartbroken that we've lost her light.

Sending my love from Germany,

Laura