I could not believe what I was hearing last Thursday as I listened to a voicemail on the way home from Clayton. My friend, Rick Tarpley, called with the terrible news that Aileen Parish has passed away.

The news was shocking because just two days earlier, I had eaten lunch with Aileen and her husband Bill and the rest of the Wendell Rotary Club and she was as animated as ever.

Aileen Parish was 85. Several times since then, I’ve remarked that I hope to live to be 85 and I hope to be doing what I want to do just two days before my death.

Such was the charmed life Aileen Parish lived.

Four years ago, Aileen suffered a ruptured aorta, the sort of medical problem that has felled many people stronger than Aileen.

But she figured it wasn’t her time and she fought back. I’m sure doctors will disagree with me, but I believe the will to live can be more powerful than most illnesses.

Aileen wasn’t about to let that aorta end her life before she finished all she had to do.

In our Rotary club, Aileen pushed me during a time when I served as the club’s president, to restart the club’s scholarship.

“We ought to be giving a scholarship every year,” Aileen told me more than once.

For a small club, it was a lot of money, but we decided to follow Aileen’s advice and we’ve given scholarships out for the past several years now.

It’s no surprise Aileen wanted that scholarship awarded. She was a retired teacher. Her last stop was at Vaiden Whitley High School. I’ve tried to imagine being a student in her classroom. I think it would have been a place where good behavior was a requirement.

Aileen was great with one-line zingers and I can just imagine some smartaleck teenager mouthing off in her class and getting it handed back to him twice over.

I suspect that would take care of that problem for a while.

Over the past years, I’ve had a chance to visit with Bill and Aileen in their home. They were always gracious hosts and Aileen always had the newspaper within arm’s reach of her easy chair.

Although it had been more than three decades since she served as a Wendell town commissioner, she was always interested in what was going on.

And, buddy, she had an opinion on most everything too. It was fun to sit with her and listen to her tell me how things ought to be.

She was always kind enough to ask after my wife, who she had taken a shine to after meeting her at some event.

Her interest was always genuine and her opinions were always heartfelt. She didn’t leave anything unsaid.

Bill and Aileen have been constant companions for all 60 years of their marriage.

After Aileen’s health problems of a few years ago, it was always sweet to see Bill fill her plate and serve her lunch.

Bill, no doubt, feels a great sense of loss right now.

He’s not alone.