The Poetic Architect

Through those blue, blue eyes of Tinsley’s he saw life and people in his own unique way. Although he was an architect by profession Howard and I remember him also as a talented poet expressing his feelings more than once in this particular way. On Howard’s seventieth birthday during a celebration in our garden with friends, he made a toast to Howard….a poem which he had written especially for his older friend. The poem, which is attached here, became one of our favorite remembrances and now hangs framed on our wall here on Overlook so that we can read it every day…and now more than ever Howard feels so honored by his words.

For the past two decades Howard and I have felt extraordinarily blessed to have found ourselves in the midst of the most wonderful community of people on the planet here on Overlook Avenue. We have been a close-knit group, not only as neighbors but as true friends. Here we’ve been two doors away from Kate and Tinsley Matthews our beloved, irreplaceable friends. Their beautiful children, Kathleen and Thomas, have been true gifts to us and our family. They sparkle, lighting our garden and playhouse with their magic and laughter,…befriending us and our own grandchildren, Austin and Katie. And now we are watching as they mature, following the examples set by their Dad and Mom….following their Life Design. Tinsley was…and we feel is still….so proud of his family.

Over the years, through many good times and some sad times as happens with life, Kate and Tinsley were always here for us….as they have been for so many others. They laughed with us and cried with us and two months ago when Howard was diagnosed with lung cancer the two of them had come to us, their words resounding in our ears today: “Howard and Paula, we are going to help you through this process.” As so many embrace Kate, Kathleen and Thomas, we hope in some way to be there also for them through this time. It will be our honor and our privilege. We hope this too would be a part of Tinsley’s carefully drawn plan.