July 5, 2001
Professor Claude Caswell
University of New Hampshire
Dear Claude,
I am typing this note to you on Lisa Frye’s computer, where
she sat so many times before, torturously struggling with each and every word
that she used in the writings, stories, and poetry that she created for you and
the class(es) you taught. I am very saddened to tell you that my
sister Lisa passed away from non-small cell lung cancer on Friday afternoon,
June 29, 2001 at 4:20 pm. Myself, our sister Pammy from Norfolk, VA, and
her beloved husband Rusty were with her when she passed on.
The night before she died, and the night we took her to the
hospital for the last time, (never imagining that it would be her last night) I
spent the night at her computer, reading for the first time, the stories that
she had written for your class. With every story I read, I wanted more
... what a talented, colorful, and brutally honest writer she was. I hadn’t
read any of her stories since high school, when she wrote a story about our
lifelong friend, our dog, Suzie. Her words brought tears to my
eyes. I knew from reading her stories what a great influence you
have been in her life, these past years. I know she would want you to
know that she died, and that is the only reason she won’t be in your
class anymore.
Lisa became very ill since March 2001, but she never gave up hope,
and the family and friends who cared for her and loved her thought always hoped
she would live. She was appalled to become totally dependent upon us, but
she was grateful, and our family and friends from childhood came together with
the common goal of making Lisa well. She endured 23 radiation treatments
at Maine Medical Center, many many tests, drugs, etc. and
chemotherapy. Throughout it all, she was very brave, and I am
grateful, as well, to have been able to spend this time with her.
I know that you meant a great deal to my sister. I have been
reading her papers, etc. and I know that she touched you too. I am not as
eloquent as Lisa. She had many irreplaceable gifts that we all loved and
appreciated -- brutal honesty; tenderness; love for her children; hilarious
laughter; sick sense of humor; always looking out for and sticking up for the
underdog; adventurous spirit; the ability to bring people together and to mend
fences; many more that I can’t list - please don’t grade me on this
letter.
I know that she planned on going back to work, going back to
classes and you as a teacher, and planned on seeing her children to
adulthood. Right now she is probably so pissed off that she died of
this horrible disease. I can only hope that she knew how much she was
loved, and how much she is missed.
I have your journal and papers. I can mail them, or I can
bring them to you? I would like to meet you if that is ok with you, and
maybe we can share Lisa. Thanks for being such an important part of her
colorful existence.
Lynn Boston (Lisa’s twin)