"You came through in so many ways" -Ida S

Dear Vanessa,

I think about you every day - I miss you knocking on my door, coming to get signatures from both me and my parents when they were alive - and explaining to us who to vote for. I miss our walks on the aqueduct and long conversations whenever we met at local events or for tea on my terrace.
It's difficult to write and I'm better at phone calls but here goes.
You have been a really good and generous friend to me. I respect your brilliance and admire you tremendously. We don't see each other all the time but since we have known each other from high school and lived opposite one another for over forty years, I feel we have understood each other for a long time.
I'm just writing about a few key moments that show your warmth and how you helped me in many ways.
I remember when my son Jonah was little and Darrow was a few years older, you invited me to bring Jonah on a boat ride on the Hudson for Darrow's birthday. In itself that was a very generous thing to do as it was for me as much as for the boys and Jonah was too young to be exactly in Darrow's friendship group.
When my husband was sick and I was very much at home alone with him, you invited me to the Hastings HS alumnae event for our class (50 years!!) and picked me up and took me to an informal dinner as well - that was very important for me and I would never have gone alone. I was so happy and proud another year when I went to see you get an incredibly well-deserved award for accomplishments among alumnae!
I also remember you and Steve at my husband's memorial in NYC when he died - you came through in so many ways.
Just as the covid lockdown was announced, when none of us were sure what to do, and the three of us (you and Julie and I) walked as we often did, on the aqueduct and up to the beautiful waterfall and flowers of Untermyer Park - in our ongoing conversation over the walk, we worked out together how to think about this terrible situation. I remember Julie and I hearing that you were still planning to take your students to Arizona to work with the migrants who needed legal assistance. At the time, we all had very little understanding of covid, but Julie and I were much more worried and you were SO committed to going. I was sure it was dangerous because of the epidemic.
You were so dedicated to your students and the migrants in need. I could see how much of yourself you gave to your work and to promoting a better world in general.
I think you didn't go, luckily, and I think we all began to better understand the challenges of the disease we were facing.
Although I was not part of your work world, I know your extraordinary contributions and reputation as a lawyer (as well as the fellowship you just created even this year!) - and how your social commitment guided your career, always with a sense of grounded and well-founded political engagement before ambition for yourself, and your life.
I miss you, the block misses you, Hastings misses you and I am sure that your students miss your guidance and your support! - and we all recognize how much you have given us.
I am very happy that Steve and Darrow and Rebecca are taking such good care of you and your family is so much there for you.
I send my love and best wishes to you all.

Ida S