In Honor of my sister Sue's Memory

Well, I got my courage up and in honor of my sister Susie, I *gulp* got a tattoo!! And in Las Vegas, no less! As many of you know this is Sue's favorite season, Halloween was her favorite holiday, but really Thanksgiving and Christmas were also!! Sue loved gatherings of family and friends and I wanted to do this to keep her memory close to me for all time. The tattoo is on my ankle and I am terrified of needles and pain, but I got my courage up and it really didn't hurt that much!! The idea was my daughter's and I am super happy to have done it!! I hope this finds all of you doing well and enjoying the fall weather. Also, HAPPY BIRTHDAY to Ray tomorrow!!

XOXO Kaylee

Don't Forget to Leave Comments-

If you visit, don't be shy!! I may not know you personally but I'd like to hear what my sister Susan meant to you and what you are thinking!! Leave a comment, they are so much appreciated!!

Philadelphia Branch of Thomas Properties Walks in Sue's Honor for Breast Cancer

Today, I received an email from Eric Pickett, Sue's former manager and best friend. I LOVE getting emails from Eric as it isn't too often and they are always interesting, well today as I scrolled down to see the attachment...I couldn't believe it, I immediately started crying....tons of Sue's co-workers in a different branch in a different part of the country that my sister hadn't even been to, spent their Sunday walking for a cure in honor of my sister Susan Martinez. I am absolutely humbled and amazed at the amount of people who participated in her honor and amazed. I know Susan wouldn't BELIEVE IT! She would be so AMAZED and so thankful. I am so proud of the company she worked for and represented. Thanks to EVERYONE from the bottom of my heart and the rest of SUSAN'S families hearts!! Thank you for keeping her memory alive and not letting her death due to Inflammatory Breast Cancer be in vain. I am posting the pics here and if you have any more please email them to kayleewalstad@msn.com . YOU GUYS ROCK!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!!

I will also be updating this post as more info and pix come in, thanks Mary Manen, Sue's great friend in the TPG office in Houston for getting the pics and stories also!! Following are from two separate emails Mary M sent me this am...the following is from a woman in the Philadelphia TPG office-thanks for writing this!!

Here are a couple more pictures. I don’t have the final numbers yet, but we raised almost $5,000 in Susan’s name this year. We had about 15 people from the Philly office walk on our team, along with almost 30 other family and friends that participated with us. Susan has touched a lot of people.

This Mary Manen sent me from the LA office of Thomas Properties Group-THANK YOU!! We ARE ABSOLUTELY AMAZED BY EVERYONE'S CARE AND KINDNESS! THANK YOU FOR ALLOWING MY SISTER"S MEMORY TO LIVE ON! Here is what the LA office said-

" We, in LA, plan on doing the Revlon walk in May in Susan’s Honor. We’re just getting ready to put out the first announcement. We’ll keep you informed on how it is going!"

Thomas Properties group is an amazing company and you should be proud to work for them, but a company is only as good as the people who fill it's chairs and perform their functions, YOU ALL at TPG are what make it AMAZING!! Thanks for making my families day/month/year with your kindness and generosity!!

A side note, between Captain Susan's Pirates, private donations made in Susan's name and the monies earned by the Philly office of TPG almost $20,000. has been donated to the Breast Cancer Research Fund for a Cure via Susan G Komen!!!!!! I just realized this and I am AGAIN, so humbled and thankful! Thank you so much for helping bring good things from Sue's battle with cancer. I pray every day they find a cure. GOd Bless each and every one of you with that which you need most. Also, just so you know, even though I may not have met YOU personally, YOU are in my prayers. Thank you for blessing my sister's memory.

XOXOXO Kaylee

Susie's Memorial Tree at Kaylee's

We decorated Susie's tree for Halloween, my dad, Ashlee & I. I am going ot keep it decorated through Thanksgiving and then decorate it for Christmas!! It actually made me feel good to buy Halloween things like I always did for Sue every year...her tree looked so bare when i took the windchimes down for winter so they wouldn't get wrecked! Here's some pix! Happy Halloween to everyone!

October was Susie's Fave time of the Year....

Greetings Everyone-

I feel like blogging a little this month and have asked Ray to as well. This is a really tough month, I mean they all really are without Sue and all the reminders of her joyful funloving personality...but she loves October, why you ask (most of you know)-she LOVED Halloween and the man she loved and married has his birthday this month as well on October 21st. Both tough days, so please keep Ray in your prayers! I have decorated the tree that was planted and dedicated in Sue's honor at my house with Halloween stuff and I have room to add a few things if anyone would like to send me something to put on the tree!! Let me know, just email me!

Thanks for all the emails and cards and stuff. I really appreciate everyone. Below I am putting my eulogy that I wrote and read at Sue's memorial service and our tree dedication. I will still put Eric's on here as well. I just need to get it from him!! Take care and I hope this finds everyone doing well. God Bless You all with whatever it is that will bring you joy! XOXO Kaylee



Susan’s Eulogy
By her sister Kaylee

Susan was our baby sister, the youngest of three girls and an angel sent here on earth. She had an instantaneous way of touching everyone’s lives she came in contact with by her genuine interest, care, concern and love for others.

Susan exemplified selflessness; she always put everyone else ahead of herself and never asked for anything. She felt she “had it all” with the love of her husband, family & friends, everything else was secondary to her.

While her “journey with Inflammatory breast cancer became a short trip, she inspired me and so many others with her unwavering faith, hope and daily courage. Each day, she told me she was going to find something to thank the Lord for and to be happy about, and she did. She was truly amazing and I will use her example to help me through this and the other unknown challenges I will face in my life.

Susie was best friend, confidante, and “go-to” person my whole life. She was a fantastic listener, always had a ready smile and laugh and most importantly, she believed in me. There is a gigantic hole in my heart which only her love and friendship can fill.
Susan loved her animals, they were her babies and as they came and went, she never forgot any of them, especially her beloved dog, Olli who faithfully stood by her side through the ups and downs of life.
Susan’s husband, Ray was truly the love of her life. She was filled with so much joy and happiness over their interests and love of cartoons, sci-fi & horror movies, bookstores, and discovering cool new restaurants. I am so thankful for Ray’s presence in Sue’s life and for the love they shared. Susan loved to experience life and she had a beautiful time on her journey with Ray.
Susan’s passing has taken the “sting of death” away from me, because I know she is soaring with the angels in Heaven and hers will be the first beautiful face I see when I join her there someday. I will miss her immensely and think of her and keep her memory alive in my heart and thoughts every single day I have left here on earth.
Thanks to all of you who vigilantly & faithfully lifted Susan up in prayer as she battled the terrible cancer that had invaded her body. Thank you to Ray, Susan’s husband, the Martinez family, my family and all her friends for helping Sue’s life journey here be so full of love and joy. Thank you to Susan’s company and co-workers for standing by her faithfully as she valiantly tried to get her body back to normal so she could return to the job & co-workers she so loved.
I cannot believe someone who meant so much to so many is forever gone from this earth, but her goodness, kindness, love, joy, courage & faithfulness will be remembered and is truly an example to all.Susan may be gone, but she will never be forgotten. I love you Susie, you are always and forever in my heart and mind!

Hope All of you Houstonians Are OK

Greetings! I hope all of you in TX are well and have survived Hurricane Ike alright! WOW, what an ordeal to watch from MN!! We can't even fathom what a hurricane would be like as we are so "land-locked" here!! My thoughts and prayers were with all of you! My mom and sister Kari and Ray came through it unscathed, however my mom and sister do NOT ever want to go through it again! They are still without power and ventured out today in search of coffee and a hot meal, and they found both! Since they have moved to Houston they have gone through ALOT!

We are nearing the 3 month mark since Susie passed away, and it is still like a nightmare which I am unable to awaken from. I miss her so badly sometimes it takes my breath away.... I have added some pics from a celebration of Sue's life on her birthday July 5th. Alot of my mom's family came, all of her sisters and our great family friends and Sue's friends who could not make it to Houston. Our Pastor dedicated a beautiful flowering crab tree my friends gave me to honor Sue's memory and then we all let go of 70 silver and purple balloons int o the air...it iwas amazing. Then everyone selected either a purple (Sue's favorite color or pink ribbon to tie on Susie's tree bench in memory of Sue. They are all still there and I will keep them there forever.


Ray read Eric Pickett's eulogy he gave at Sue's memorial service. Both Ray and Eric did a fantastic job!

Our Pastor prayed over the tree and dedicated in Sue's memory, it was beautiful...



Then, ready set go, we all let go of the purple and silver balloons in Sue's honor...it was breathtaking...and freeing.

Then everyone tied a ribbon of their choice onto Sue's tree bench to remain there...Ray and Mike's mom Patand cousins are busy tying there's on.

My mom and Kari with family and friends tie their's onto the bench...

Thanks to everyone who has donated to the Susan G Klomen Breast Cancer Research Fund in Susan's honor. I have sent everyone on the list a personal thank you, but if I missed you, let me know. Your kindness and generosity has touched my heart forever and I will never forget all of your kindnesses. I hope all of you are doing well as we head into fall. Take care and may God bless each and every one of you!

XOXO Kaylee

Hi!

It has been a little over 2 months since Susie passed away and I wanted to check in and let you know we are all doing o.k. We have all had a low week last week and are trying to pick it up this week.

I miss Sue so much, it seems like it gets harder sometimes as the time gets longer, I really have had intense longings to see and talk to Sue. I am glad we believe in God and that Sue is in Heaven, because without that hope this would be much much harder.

I hope all of you are doing well. I cannot believe so many of you are still coming here, yet i is a place to remember her and look at pics and read the stories. I think about you, Sue's friends alot and the many kindnesses you showed to her and our family, thanks again and I hope this finds you all doing well.

God Bless You All,

Kaylee