Cynthia, Tim, and Marian at The Smokehouse
From Tim Carpenter, EngAGE CEO/Founder:
Last week, Marian Friedlob, mother of EngAGE’s Manager of Websites & Social Media, Cynthia Friedlob, passed away at 97 years old. Cynthia is one of my favorite people and I had the great good fortune to get to know Marian well, too. In fact, Cynthia and I wouldn’t have met if it hadn’t been for Marian, who encouraged her to go to a Writing for Radio class I taught for the Burbank Adult School at the Joslyn Center years ago. I got to take Marian and Cynthia out for lunch for Marian’s birthday a couple times in recent years. Marian would have been fine with Denny’s, but I convinced her to aim higher, so we had a terrific Thai meal one year and went to the world famous Smokehouse most recently. Marian reminded me so much of my own Mom, Marilyn, a fellow Midwesterner who smiled and laughed often, and just wanted to share time with people over a lovely or just simple meal.
Yesterday at 9 a.m., I had a moment of silence for Marian and thought I would certainly be sad about her passing. I just couldn’t stop smiling, because that’s what Marian did, every time I saw her. She always made me feel like the most important person in the world and she made me feel better about this crazy ride when she was around. What better gift could a person give and leave behind. What a special woman. I will miss her, think of her smile, and return it. RIP, Marian. I am lucky to have crossed your path and your daughter’s.
“Death must be so beautiful. To lie in the soft brown earth, with the grasses waving above one’s head, and listen to silence. To have no yesterday, and no tomorrow. To forget time, to forgive life, to be at peace.” – Oscar Wilde
