Very sad news: Laurie Verge has passed

[RJNorton]

When I retired as a middle school teacher I had trouble finding what to do with myself. Eventually I decided to attempt to create a Lincoln website for students. And I would offer to try and assist students with their homework through emails. I had subscribed to the Surratt Courier for years, and I contacted Laurie c. 1996-1997. We never had any previous contact. I asked for her help with the assassination section of the website, and I was overwhelmed by her incredibly positive reply. And she gave me two other contacts of people who were also most helpful - Betty Ownsbey and Ed Steers.

After exchanging a few emails with Laurie we became aware that we both were the same age. I was almost exactly one month older than Laurie.

We decided we could help each other with students. If she received emails at Surratt House about Abraham Lincoln she would forward them to me. And if I received emails about the assassination I would forward them to her. I soon learned her knowledge of the assassination was encyclopedic while my knowledge of Lincoln was typical of an 8th grade teacher. BIG DIFFERENCE! I soon learned why she was salutatorian of her high school class. (I was 129th and looking out the windows too much; couldn't wait to get out, run home, and watch what remained of the Cubs' game.)

The arrangement of helping each other with emailed questions lasted right up until her final illness.

I really have no way of expressing the positive impact Laurie had on my life. I wish I was enough of a writer to do so. The words are in my heart, and maybe someday they will come out, and I can express them.