Stories From Linda Pavalich

Hello – my name is Linda Peters Pavlich, and I knew your mom in high school. She was, in fact, one of my three best friends – she was a bridesmaid at my wedding, and I was a bridesmaid at her wedding! I will find those pics and scan them and send them to you later this week. We went on vacations with each other’s family. She came with me and my mom to San Diego one summer, and we body-surfed and ate lots of hamburgers at the Jack-in-the-box on Mission Beach. At that time, hamburgers were her favorite food! We were in choir together in high school – Mr. Shaw’s acapella choir – both altos, and I always liked to stand near Cristy, because she was such an awesome sight reader! She got in All-State choir the year we both tried out! I did not, but I think I was her accompanist. (I was the accompanist for the choir that year, and played for most of my friends.)
One of my favorite Cristy stories – it actually comes up a lot in our family, because we used to hike a lot when the kids were little : I went on a vacation with her family to Greer in the White Mountains one summer. Your mom and I were walking in some tall grass, talking and walking in the beautiful meadows up there, and we hopped over a log, and your mom said, in this totally calm and conversational voice, “Well, you’ve heard of the proverbial snake in the grass?” I screeched, of course, and hopped back up on the log, while Cristy bent down to examine the snake, then chuckled at my over-reaction, and just walked on.
A few years later, she and I were visiting at my mom’s house. My dog was there, and my mom’s dog was there, and Cristy and I were just sitting on the back porch yakking. The dogs (two females) started fighting! I freaked, did my usual squealing thing, and went to get the hose. Don’t exactly know what I was planning to do with it, but I vaguely had some idea of squirting the dogs into submission - ? Anyway, your mom, always calm, walked over to the two snarling and biting dogs, grabbed each one by the scruff of the neck, and held them up and apart – one in each hand. It was awesome ! I can still picture that!
Last famous Cristy story – which I actually just recently told to a vet friend of mine here in Virginia. When Cristy was in Vet school, we got together for some holiday. I asked her about her semester studying cows. She told me this story of running through Colorado, holding on to a rope attached to some guy’s prize bull which had decided to leave the holding pen – she couldn’t make it stop, but she wasn’t about to lose it either, so she went on a tour of the town, running along beside the bull. I laughed really hard, and then asked her if she saw large animals in her future. And this is the famous Cristy line that is so oft quoted in our family (along with the snake-in-the-grass comment.) She looked at me, and said, dry as sand, “Linda, you haven’t lived until you’ve had your whole arm inside of a cow.”
I only met you once – when you were a little little girl, and the last time I met Cristy, we went to lunch, and she talked about you – such a proud mom. I was so shocked when I opened your email this morning. I cried a bit, and called some old old mutual friends – but I haven’t lived in AZ for a long time – I am so sorry for your terrible loss, and for the loss of my old friend. We just did everything together in high school. I’m glad, if she had to go, it was quick. She didn’t have to live in fear and pain for a long time, as happens with cancer. I know she was religious, so I won’t say all the usual things, but I have to say, for those of us left behind, the world is a little lonelier. God bless you in this time of loss - and in the months ahead when you will miss her in so many ways. Your mom is the person that loves you the most – in the whole world – unselfishly and unflinchingly. I’m so glad sweet Cristy was your mom. She was the best - Linda Pavlich
Lorton, Virginia--
John & Linda Pavlich Lorton, VA

Greer, AZ- Summer of 1968