SAD NEWS

Margaret Childs Armstrong
03/21//1926 - 10/30/2013

        It has been several weeks since my last post. The reason, I am sorry to report, is that my wonderful wife Margie died on October 30, after a long battle with leukemia.Caring for her and treasuring our time together has been my primary vocation for the past nineteen months.
        Some of you have already heard this sad news, but others have not. I haven't informed my Facebook friends of her death until now. I apologize for that, but I have been totally preoccupied with all the matters relating to her burial, two memorial services (one last Monday in the Princeton University Chapel and one this past Saturday morning at our congregation at Pennswood Village in Newtown, Pennsylvania), and a host of other necessary details.
        Although I have experienced the death of many family members and close friends, I have learned much more about suffering and about grief through this experience, and I hope in the near future to share some thoughts about that and about Margie's inspiring courage and amazing grace throughout her long ordeal.
        For now I simply wanted to explain why you haven't heard from me for a long time. I hope to begin posting articles again shortly. There has been so much to write about, but it will have to wait until I catch up on some other important matters I have neglected in the past several weeks.
        In the meantime, I urge you to savor the time you have with those you love, for life is a gift, and we can't take anyone for granted. Never neglect to tell your loved ones how much they mean to you, for once they have died, it's too late, and regrets are hard to live with.
        The last words Margie and I always said to each other, whenever we were parting even for just a short time, were "I love you!" I miss her terribly, but I have no regrets about our marriage of nearly sixty-six years ---except that it has ended.