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November 17, 2005 - Remembering RonnieThe Suffolk Times • November 17, 2005 ememberi g Ronni Suffolk Times photo by Barbara Stoutenburgh Ronnie Wacker loved life. She was a staunch environmentalist who, from the early beginnings of the North Fork Envi- ronmental Council, stood up and and fought to save our way of life here on the East End. In all the years 1 have written arti- cles, this is the first time I would like to dedicate Focus on Nature to someone — a wonderful woman, wife, mother, grandmother and friend — Ronnie Wacker, who left us suddenly this week. God bless her and her family. She finished her performance, quickly walked off the stage as the audience applauded and just like that the show was over. That's how it hap- pened. Ronnie Wacker was here and then was gone. She slipped FOCUS away from us this week, and ON family, friends NATURE and community were left with by Paul a lifetime of memories. StOUtenburgh mStories like their early fam- ily trip to Alaska when one day the clog got left behind and ran to catch up wim inem; scnooi aays wim live — yes, five — boys in East Cutchogue, then Southold and Mattituck, then on to colleges and work and families around the country, always coming back to Cutchogue on the water for get - togethers and weddings; fam- ily gatherings never to be forgotten, cherished forever. Ronnie Wacker was a longtime writer for this paper and many oth- ers, where she not only wrote of the news but also of people's lives, and yet we never got to writing about hers. When asked about a "Profile on Aging" column about her, the reply was always, "We'll do that when I'm old." We never thought she would leave us, or at least not so soon and so,quickly. We thought Ronnie would always be with us. We never thought of life without her. And now, we will all remember her; she will always be with us. We all have our own memories, like when she and Bob recently went with us to a Hallockville affair held in the barn, Bob in a suit and tie (imagine) and Ronnie "dressed to the nines" in a long white skirt, feathery scarf and black shoes, wandering around the farmyard. She will be remembered for her bright, contagious smile, happy outlook on life, always busy in her kitchen cooking for two or four or 14; there was always room for another get on too early and it might linger on till 10 or so but always with laughter, stories and memories. We, as others, saw her quickly for the last time and walked away thinking it was just another normal goodbye ... but not this time. One night just recently we called, as we often did. "What are you doing? Why don't we bring our supper and add it to yours and sit for a while ?" We . did. Simple hamburg- ers we shared with a simple supper in their TV room, where they spent endless hours watching and hoping the world would straighten itself out and all would be peaceful. We ate and talked and visited and iert as always, out the back door, down the steps, around the corner of the house to the car and we were off, not knowing it was our last and final goodbye. We will never forget Ron- nie, a dear friend, a sailinf companion; yes, we sailed the seas many times to- gether over the years. We shared our children's and grandchildren's lives with each other. We talked, we called, we walked, we visited; always there at the ring of the phone to chat. So much to say for everyone who knew her. With her husband, Bob, sailing partners and writers for 55 years. Her sons, all five of them; she was so proud of them. They accomplished so much in their lives and yet were always there for rylmupMVINm �p a e n 1­ . We never thought she would leave us, or at least not so soon and so quickly. her as they were this week; if not with her by phone from Brooklyn, New York, Boston, North Carolina and California, they were there at the family home by the bay. There were the grandchildren, Laura and Lily, Tom and Isabel's girls, whom they recently visited in Brooklyn; Robby and Matthew, Jon and Lori's boys, in North Carolina. where they were to go for Thanksgiving; and the youngest, Chris, Jim and Melanie's son, in New York. Chris and Nien- Ling and her boys, Peter and Tom, in California, and Tim and Laura and her kids, Jimmy and Brita, in Boston, who would drop down for a weekend. Ronnie had an international fam- ily she loved, with Lori from Canada, Melanie from Germany, and Nien- Ling from China. She loved every one of them. I believe Ronnie loved everyone. I wouldn't dare to men- tion friends, for the circle is too wide. Those who were considered a friend were fortunate indeed. Ronnie gave so much and took so little. She attended public meetings to the very last, trying to preserve and protect those things important to ev- eryone on the East End and beyond, always strong in her convictions but congenial in her arguments, fighting for the good of people and the world in general. Ronnie will be missed terribly, her good deeds and caring,.her articles in The Suffolk Times about others who spent a long and fruitful life — but how can you measure a life spent so well with so much love and caring for everyone around her? God bless you, Ronnie.