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Melinda Doolittle Story
of Inspiration & Gratitude
We all know and many of us admire
Melinda for being strong in
her religious beliefs. While
Melinda makes no
secret about her feeling
toward religion,
our admiration for her has
nothing to do with whether
one is religious or not.
Rather, it has all to do
with spirit, love, gratitude,
compassion and
someone's ability to believe
in faith and exude a spirit
and attitude that is not
only infectious, but leaves us realizing that it
is impossible not to like
Melinda Doolittle. The
story below, submitted by
Mary Lee from Indiana is
another example of lives
being inspired and comforted
by a person who can so
easily touch lives, as she
did here with Mary Lee and
her family. Thank you
so much Mary Lee for
contributing this story to
us. If anything, this
will be yet another piece of
Melinda's heart, soul and
voice having an impact on
another person's heart and
life.
My
name is Mary Lee and
I want to share with
all of you how,
without knowing it,
Melinda Doolittle
touched my life
and the lives of my
sisters and our mom
(who passed away
August 6, 2007).
Our mom and dad were
married in November
1966. They each had
two daughters from
previous marriages.
Together they raised
us four girls and
were blessed with
such a romantic and
loving marriage.
When us girls were
young, we called
them 'Barbie and
Ken'. They dressed
up in tux and gown
and went to formal
balls, they
vacationed in
beautiful places and
would bring us girls
wonderful presents
like bikinis from
Hawaii and perfume
from Mexico. They
were so in love;
and, each of us
girls grew up hoping
that we would each
have a relationship
just like theirs.
Their song was 'My
Funny Valentine'.
Now two of our
sisters live in
other states; but,
mom and the two of
us here in town
would do a
'conference call'
every week each
season and watch
American Idol
together and talk
over each other.
Such fun.
We loved you,
Melinda, from the
very start. But the
night you sang that
song, the three of
us were suddenly
quiet and my mom
said in all her life
she had never heard
anyone 'own' it like
you did. Our throats
tightened trying not
to cry. But, cry we
did...and laugh at
ourselves and each
other.
On Good Friday,
2007, I sat at my
mom's table while
she rummaged through
her purse looking
for that one little
lucky piece (a
painted lady bug)
that she had to have
with her for the
trip ahead. My
husband and I and my
dad accompanied her
to the pulmonary
specialist praying
for good news the
whole way. We were
the last appointment
of the day. We
should have known.
She had cancer and
it was everywhere.
The next four months
seemed like forever
and yet so short.
You know the ending
but you can't bring
yourself to accept
it. On Monday,
August 6, 2007, at
6:30 AM, our mom
passed away with her
daughters and her
husband and her
sister all piled on
her bed with her and
sitting beside her.
The last few words I
spoke to her were,
'Don't worry mom.
There is no time in
heaven. In the blink
of an eye, we'll be
there...'
Since her departure,
my father has
grieved sooo hard.
He wants to be with
her. It is a
challenge for us
girls to keep him
'engaged' in life on
earth. He just waits
for his moment to be
reunited with her.
She was 75 when she
died. Our dad just
turned 83 in July.
All of us girls were
with him on his 83rd
birthday. It was so
nice to be together
although sadness is
everywhere we look
or sit in their
home. And watching
our dad slowly leave
us is almost too
much to bear.
Melinda, when our
father passes on, we
WILL play your
recording of 'My
Funny Valentine' at
his funeral. But, I
will also extend an
invitation to you to
sing it for them. We
would make you one
of our sisters. It's
odd how you feel
like family already
because of that
special moment that
you created for us.
You are so very
special Melinda. And
I am sure this is
just one of many
stories of how you
have touched people
everywhere.
Love and Blessings,
Mary Lee
Indianapolis, IN
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