TRIBUTES

Judy Soucier

In the 1980's I attended a series of workshops at the Zerox Foundation in Virginia that was being sponsored by  a foundation headed up by Eunice Shriver. Seeing that this was a grand opportunity for my 10 year-old son to visit Washington, he and a nun who was a dear family friend flew into D.C. the day before the end of the conference. Reservations had been made for them at a hotel in Washington; I was to meet them the following day.

To make a long story short, since the nun had no credit card, the management would not allow them into a room, leaving them stranded in the lobby of the hotel.  The compound that hosted the workshop was totally secured - so tight that I could not get even a courier to deliver the money to them.  I was desperate! 

Somehow word got to Ted Kennedy and he not only made sure that they were accomodated but with first class service and no tab at the end of our four-day stay!  How this all happened, I don't know, but Senator Kennedy turned what could have been a horrifying experience for a 10 year-old into a memorable trip to Washington which he remembers to this day.  Thank you Teddy! 

I also watched the service tonight - beautifully done, an exceptional celebration of the life of someone who really was a father to us all!