Thursday, November 30, 0002
July 24, 2009 Dear Friends: It is with such sadness as I begin to write my last letter for Mary Jeter. I cannot really remember when I first became acquainted with her and Mac, but I do recall the time that Leslie came over to teach me the finer points of showing dairy cattle as part of my 4-H project. To this day I still have, tucked away, a halter and blanket that was passed down to me to use on my Guernsey heifer. I clearly remember the many times as a youth I would go over to visit in the evenings and would find them down at the barn working with the horses or maybe Mary would be on her Gravely mower cutting anything that got in her path! Regardless of what was going on they were always glad to see me and made me feel welcome. Upon moving to KY in 1974, I continued to stay in contact not realizing that six years later, 1980, would bring such sorrow. I clearly remember receiving the phone call from Leslie shortly after New Year’s about the unexpected passing of Mac Jeter. Little did I know that I too would lose my own father in June. As time passed I would always try to call or write continuing to keep in touch. A few times I was able to make a trip back to Florida to see friends, but as the years went by it became more difficult to get away. 1996 began my career with the cooperative extension service as a 4-H agent and little did I know how complicated my life would become. In talking with Mary over the year’s she was always the one who was proud of what I did and enjoyed hearing about my ventures. It was like a breath of fresh air when I talked with her for no matter what was happening at the time she made it seem better. After losing my own mother in 1999, I returned to Florida in August of 2000, which was the last time I visited Mary at home. To this day I can draw a picture of the inside of her house more so than I can remember the one I grew up in. It was from that point on that I began to realize how precious the time was that I spent as youth with such good friends who cared. There is no way to gauge the extent of another’s sorrow. However there is comfort in knowing that it is part of the human condition; that if we don’t really know how someone else feels, we care. That is how Mary made me feel inside, as a youth and as an adult. The last time I spoke with her she again told me how proud she was of what I had become. I truly appreciate the kindness and friendship that has been given to me all these years. Thanks for allowing me to be a part of your lives. While I can no longer make that call or send a letter, the memories will live forever. With Sympathy, Bonnie Jolly
