After some hard months of battling, Mrs. Kathleen Joan Kearney passed away last week.

We first met her while jogging through south Evanston. Her garden outside her building was fantastic. I was just beginning to garden and was fascinated with the varieties and colors. We stopped and talked with her and became fast friends. Although it was more like teacher-student.

Her garden was on the south side of condo unit. It flowered early with snowdrops, crocus, and chionodoxa. The peonies and irises kept Spring beautiful. Phlox, hosta, roses, clematis, and castor bean kept the garden blooming and fun throughout the season. It became a regular stop on my jog and we would chat often.

Soon we had plot in the same community garden as Kearney. She grew flowers and produce. Black currants were her specialty. Her black currant jam is legendary.

Her relationship with husband, Hal, was great. The two together were adorable. Hal clearly showed deference to Joan (we pronounced this "Jo Ann", I don't remember why). I imagine that I will be similar to Hal, saying "yes dear" and such. It is the least men can do after a woman puts up with us for over five decades.

Besides being a great gardener and wife, Mrs. Kearney was also a mother, friend, rock collector, dress designer,toy designer, and interior decorator. The only time she seemed happier than gardening was when she was talking about her rocks. She grew up in Lusk, Wyoming and apparently gathered stones and fossils since childhood.

Her love of nature and the natural world impressed us. Her dedication to family and gardening inspired us.

She was one of my biggest advocates. Telling her friends about my tv shows and my humble garden. She always had a kind word and a smile. She even defended me against attacks from less pleaant gardeners.

We attended a gathering for her memory a couple days ago. We met daughters Lynn and Sue for the first time. Community gardeners. Joy and Wendy, were also there. We met people from her building (Julie, etc.) who have long admired her gardening and personality. It was good to see Maxine and Hans, friends through Kearney, and meet their daughter. The gathering was a great model for funerals. No body, no eulogy, no crying, just people from all sectors of her life celebrating her accomplishments and memory.

What a great way to bring closure. (I even got a chance to show my favorite rock to Hal, Lynn, and Sue. For some reason I never brought it over for Kearney to see, but I know she would have loved it, and they said as much.)

Mrs. Kathleen Joan Kearney thank you for your friendship and inspiration. You will be missed.