b'36 earDianne,DMaybethiswillbeeasierifIwritetoyou,ratherthanaboutyou.Icantrytotellyouwhatyouvemeanttomeoverthe45yearswevebeenfriends,tosaythethingsIneverdreamedIwouldntbeabletoactuallytellyou.In1979,whenIwasfinallyhiredbytheSpeechandHearingDepartmentatICDafterafour-monthinterviewprocess,Iwassothrilledtobejoiningwhatwasthenaprestigiousagency.IneverimaginedthattheSpeechandHearingDept.wouldbethewarmandclosefamilyitbecame,wherewealllookedforwardtocomingtoworkeachday.ThenyoubecametheDirectorandaskedmetobeyourAssistantDirector.Wewereagreatteam:Ilovedkeepingtrackofscheduling,staffing,billingandothermind-numbingdetails(dontaskmewhy),whichyouhated,andyoulovedbringingpeopletogetherinnewandcreativeways.Wespenteverydayandseveralyearsineachothersoffice,commiseratingandconnectinginwhatbecameenduringways.WhenyouannouncedtousthatyouwereleavingtoheaduptheSpeechDept.atPost,wewereallhappyforyou,butthingswereneverthesame.IrememberthestaffsingingYOUREMYHEROatyourgoingawayparty,andyoutrulywereourhero,soveryloved.Oneofyourspecialgiftswasreachingout,stayingintouchwhichiswhyyouhavesomanyfriendsfromallyourdifferentendeavors.Youwereconsistent,alwayskeepingourconnectiondespitethephysicaldistancebetweenHuntingtonandManhattan.Everysixtoeightweeks,youdmakethethree-hourroundtripontheLIRRsowecouldmeetinmidtown,goforaspeciallunchandthetheater.Evenwhenwesawtheworstplayeverperformed-APerfectCrimewelaughedandhadagreattime.Wegotperpetuallaughsatseeingthatawfulplaycontinuedtobeperformedyearafteryear.AndtheNewYearsDaypartiesatyourhouse,withallRusssdeliciousdishesandyourwonderfulfriends,wasmyfavoritewaytowelcomeanynewyear.Irememberyetanotherparty,thisoneintheyardforyour70thbirthday,whereAlexledusinagamecalledWhoAmIandKeithwonbecausenooneguessedthathewasborninamanger.YouandRussprovidedsomanyofuswithsomanygoodtimes.Becausewedidntgettoseeeachothermuchinthepastfewyears,reallysincethepandemic,'