We've Lost a Friend

There is great sadness in the air. We've lost a friend. Sue, the woman who founded Deer Run so many years ago has departed this Earthly plane.

Our paths first crossed with Sue many years ago. Seemed innocuous enough, but Mr. Happy Vegan was simply looking for a nice place to vacation, and stumbled upon Deer Run. He had been coming to the Keys for many years, and wanted to share its beauty with me. I will never forget my first visit to the Keys, which also included my first visit to Deer Run. I had never seen so many palm trees, "odd" structures and people, and water so blue. After a long ride down the Keys, we made it on to the island of Big Pine, then took the first left turn onto Long Beach. The speed limit was (and still is) slow, thus the 2 mile trek to Deer Run seemed "so close, yet so far" after hours of driving. As we followed the winding curves, I asked out loud "where in the hell are you taking me???" He just laughed.

We pulled into a driveway lined with trees I'd never seen before.... mangroves, buttonwoods, and more. Everything was so lush, so many different colors of green. Out came a smiling woman in flowing island clothes, she said her name is Sue. Thus began a friendship that grew through many more visits to Deer Run, glasses of wine, good food, shared experiences, and finally with us buying Deer Run.

So often during our vacations here, Mr. Happy Vegan would help out Sue with little chores here and there. She wasn't old by any stretch, but she appreciated any help she could get, any time she could get it. He was always happy to help, and Sue was always happy to provide a nice bottle of wine to share at day's end.

Sue hand-picked us as stewards for this place. She knew she could trust us both. I had shared with her my thoughts of going to massage therapy school while still deeply entrenched in another world of drudgery. She thought that would be wonderful, adding "you can get a Florida license honey, just in case you ever decide to move here." She knew, before I even knew.

Sue led what I consider to be a very adventurous life. She had loves, children, marriages, exotic trips, and so many stories about the Keys of time past. She came to the Keys as a fresh faced young transplant, like many do. But, she had benefit of living here for decades, when the Keys were filled with mysterious people dropping out, hiding out, or camping out. She fished, she swam, she boated. She cooked, she hosted parties, she went to parties. She loved animals (especially birds) and nature very deeply and had a sense of wonder, amusement and joy at the beauty surrounding her. She had happy times, and terribly sad times having outlived 2 children. Yet, through it all, she maintained a sense of stability, like a port in the storm. Even when enduring her own deep sadness, she would have time to offer words of support and put things into perspective for me. She knew it was a difficult transition when I moved here for so many reasons including crippling loss, and she nurtured me along.

Many times over the past several years, both myself and the other happy vegan have wondered aloud to each other what shall we ever do when the time comes to pass Deer Run along. We both agree that Sue had such peace inside as far as this place. She loved being here so much, she loved the animals, the breezes, the colors, the air and the sea. She loved her friends, her family, the guests and all the gifts the Universe bestows upon anyone at Deer Run. She considered Deer Run part of her legacy, and choosing us as the next stewards was a fine choice in her heart. She knew we loved it as much as she did, and treasured this place. There is something very different and special about the air at Deer Run. She wanted to insure the legacy fell to people who would protect it. So, here we are.

We will miss Sue. Her soft voice, her bright eyes, her never ending sense of wonder at the beauty of the Keys, Deer Run and the Universe. I can still hear her voice right now "hi honey, would you like a paw-paw" from one of her beautiful fruit trees. I close my eyes and see her dressed in island garb taking me on a tour of her "new" yard after she moved from here (still on this island) proudly showing all the different plants for butterflies, the fruit trees, and teaching me to search for butterfly eggs. Her passing comes as a shock to so many, including us. We will always remember her with gratitude for the kindness she showed to nature, and her encouragement to us as we transitioned to our lives here. She was one of a kind, irreplaceable, and there will be a forever hole in our hearts... right next to the warm feeling we will always get as we remember her.

Blessed Be Sue.