Good friends, old friends remember
A decade ago, Carnie McArthur was in the prime of life enjoying his career with the Coeur d’Alene Fire Department when he was diagnosed with early onset Alzheimer's. Now 65, his awareness of the life he once knew is fleeting and brief and he resides in a memory care facility in Post Falls. His ready smile is the same although conversation is a thing of the past.
Over the Christmas holiday a group of friends, Carnie’s Coeur d’Alene High School wrestling teammates, paid him a visit. Gregg Gain, who graduated with Carnie in 1969, Randy Duncan and Jay Troy, Class of 1970 and Duane Crockett, Class of 1971, shared the glory days of competing and winning for the Vikings with their old friend. Through the scrapbooks and yearbooks that Randy brought along there were some flashes of awareness.
Here’s to good friends, old friends and a cup of kindness yet, for auld lang syne.
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The year 2016 was as life is ... happy times, sad times, challenges that test, and the thrill of victories, large and small. For many in our communities there was profound loss as the year ended and a new year began. Families who celebrated what would be the last Christmas with their wife, husband, brother, sister, mother, father.
Charmaine Peterson, who battled cancer for six years, made it one day past Christmas; Steve Gibbs, whose ALS prevailed on New Years Eve and Kurt Gomer who chose to forego more treatment for his ravaging cancer and enter Hospice House on New Year’s Eve, died on Monday. All three surrounded by family and friends. Three funerals this first week of the new year.
More than many hearts can bear, especially as Charmaine, Steve and Kurt were all givers, nurturers, doers. Really good people, really nice people. We can honor their lives simply by being more like they were.
"What though the radiance which was once so bright
Be now forever taken from my sight,
Though nothing can bring back the hour
Of splendour in the grass, of glory in the flower;
We will grieve not, rather find
Strength in what remains behind." ... William Wordsworth
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Tonight, Food for Thought Book Club at the Coeur d’Alene Library, 6-8 p.m. featuring Kate Daloz's book "We Are As Gods." The club is free and open to the public.
Thursday, 5:30-6:30 p.m. at NIC Student Union with District 4 Representatives Luke Malek and Paul Amador discussing issues in the upcoming legislative session.
On Friday, 4:30-7 p.m. at the Jacklin Arts & Cultural Center, the Monster Project Art Show featuring more than 250 works of monster art by kindergarten artists and their interpretations by professional, emerging, and high school artists benefiting the Lakeland High School Art Department.
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Happy birthday today to Idaho’s first lady Lori Otter (50!), Darrell Whitesitt, Debbie Ferguson, Norman Tucker, Bert Storlie and Brandon Sutich.
Wish a happy birthday on Thursday to Marty Hayes, Jamie Lynn Morgan, Sherri Patton, Phil Eager, Thad Bolek, Timothy Barrett, Andrew Hansen, Dirk Darrow, Rick Gunther, Shaina Nomee and Debbie Raeon.
On Friday Gary (GA) Allen, Colton Peugh, Bobby Wilhelm, Kris Cederburg, Kim Dennison, Griffin McAndrew, Christina Sedgwick, Will Moore, Robert Green, Judi Caceres and Kellie McCracken share a birthday.
Katie Marmon, Dale Kreager and Sydne Watson will make a wish on Saturday.
Jerry Sparling, Donna Trueblood, Sandy Wendell, Fondra McGee, Marc Kroetch and Rebecca Mort add another candle to their cake on Sunday.
Dan Ryan, Robert Coles, Ed Anderson, Cristy Bauer, Avery Hunt, Pat Mitchell, Sandy Emerson, Jennifer King and Esther Webb will do the birthday dance to start the week.
Mary Jane Hahn, Shelley Rosenberger, Nathan Johnson, Katrina Jaeger, Jan Harris, Tom Iverson, Paul Matthews and Ronan Kennedy will celebrate on Jan. 10.
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Kerri Rankin Thoreson is a member of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists and the former publisher of the Post Falls Tribune. Main Street appears every Wednesday in The Press and Kerri can be contacted on Facebook or via email mainstreet@cdapress.com. Follow her on Twitter @kerrithoreson.