Most mornings I get up at 6ish, fix a cup of coffee or tea, spend some devotional time and, if I have a minute, check the obituaries in the Modesto Bee.
Go ahead and laugh. I've heard (and told a few myself) all the jokes about folks who compulsively read the obits, but I'm confessing that I've totally joined their ranks. I cruise through them for the obvious reason of seeing if I know anyone who has recently died. I tell myself that surely I would hear from other sources than reading about it in the paper, but the many incidents of seeing a old friend's face there keeps me cruising. And I find myself reading about the lives of people I don't know--but someone who was important to the folks in his/her realm--whose life stories I also find interesting. This morning, as I sipped my vanilla coffee and turned the pages of the Bee, a name caught my eye, though the face was a much younger version of the man I knew: Dr. Marvin Goodrow, my chemistry professor at Modesto Junior College in the '80's. He left Modesto many years ago and we gradually lost touch, so seeing the article in this morning's paper was a poignant moment for me.
Dr. Goodrow changed my life! As an adult mom with 4 children
and involved in the homebirth movement I decided to start a more formal science
education by taking the pre-reqs for the nursing program. I had failed
chemistry in high school, therefore a general chem class was on my list and
happened to be the one class I could get into. I had a bachelor's in elementary
education and knew I was plenty "smart", but I had been a mediocre student
at best. Dr. Goodrow changed all that. I'm sure part of the change occurred
because I was coming to classes as an adult with a different life perspective,
but from the very first lecture class, he captured my interest and attention in
an area of study that I expected I would be unable to master. He, however,
assured me that I was perfectly capable!
We were also homeschooling at the time
and over the semester as he and I became friends as well as teacher/student, he
sent home with me all kinds of fun projects to help introduce my children to
the sciences and to chemistry. He invited them in and did real experiments with
them. Virginia was interested in our homeschooling and she joined the circle.
Over the next couple of years, as I homeschooled and went to school myself,
they were my cheering squad. Even after they moved north, they stopped by now and then to
see how our family was doing...always encouraging.
Adjusting to an unexpected
pregnancy at age 40 added another dimension to my life and our conversations.
When that baby came stillborn at 21 weeks gestation, Marvin & Virginia
checked in with me regularly, brought me tea and flowers and generally held my
hands and heart as I walked through the sorrow.
As time passed, their new life
in a new place took on more of their time and my busy family &
homeschooling consumed mine, and we drifted back into our own spheres. But I
have never forgotten the man whose love of chemistry was actually contagious, as was his love of learning. He was demanding as a
professor and did not "suffer fools gladly" but offered his help to
any who really wanted to learn. We were saddened to learn of Virginia's
death--and have wondered through the years where Marvin was and how he was
getting along. We had long meandering talks about God and science, always
respecting the other's position, but not afraid to push and tug at assumptions
and untested ideas.
I am a different person than I would have been without Dr.
Goodrow in my life. I'm so thankful my life intersected his...for both the
chemistry and the life lessons he taught me. No reminiscing about our 19 years
of homeschooling is complete without an appreciating nod to Dr. Goodrow. He
would be pleased to know that two of those little boys he "played
chemistry" with grew up and chose areas of science as their life work and
another is a college professor with the same love and zest for learning.
I wish I was free to pay that last tribute by being at the service on
Wednesday, but I wanted to take the time to write down my appreciation for him. In many
ways, by taking chemistry, I took "the road less traveled." And yes,
"that has made all the difference."
