For the past year we've been reliving Joanna's life through our memories and all of your perspectives which, although vastly different, all reach the same conclusion--Joanna was a wonderful human being.
The support we have received from all of you has been immeasurable in helping us to, if not overcome her loss, then to be satisfied with the life that Joanna lived. Her life, although short, made an indelible mark on all those she touched. We are profoundly grateful to all of you for helping to soften the blow that Joanna's passing was for us. In sharing all of your memories of her, you have helped brighten each and every one of our days as we deeply appreciate all of your kind thoughts.
On behalf of our family, we would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all of you.
-The Vidal Family
To know her was to love her. That's what anyone would say about Joanna Vidal, affectionately called Jo by her friends and family. Her zest for life was incomparable. Not just a career, event planning was also part of her personality. There wasn't a birthday, anniversary, or just a good day at work that Joanna would not want to celebrate with her friends and family who were the most important people in her life. To Joanna, that's all that mattered, being a good person and having the people she loved most, around her at all times.We will all miss Joanna and the smile that lit up a room, but we believe she will be with us every minute of every day in our hearts. Her amazing spirit will live through all of us who were truly blessed to know and love her.
"The Dash" - written by Linda Ellis
I read of a woman who stood to speak at the funeral of a friend.
She referred to the dates on her tombstone from the beginning...to the end.She noted that first came her date of birth and spoke the following date with tears,
But she said what mattered most of all was the dash between those years. (1974 - 2001)For that dash represents all the time that she spent alive on earth...
And now only those who loved her know what that little line is worth.For it matters not, how much we own; the cars...the house...the cash,
What matters is how we live and love And how we spend our dash.So think about this long and hard... are there things you'd like to change?
For you never know how much time is left, that can still be rearranged.If we could just slow down enough to consider what's true and real,
And always try to understand the way other people feel.And be less quick to anger, and show appreciation more
And love the people in our lives like we've never loved before.If we treat each other with respect, and more often wear a smile...
Remembering that this special dash might only last a little while.So, when your eulogy's being read with your life's actions to rehash...
Would you be proud of the things they say about how you spent your dash?