Sister Iris Sabree

My teenage thinking led me to a sure-fire college strategy. I applied to all the colleges that did not require a written essay or an application fee.  My dad's only rule was I had to stay in the state.  So I applied to a few schools and was accepted by 3;  Western Illinois University, Illinois State, and Northern Illinois.  Without ever visiting any of these schools, I chose Western based on it's "party school" reputation and my desire to study Law Enforcement and become a cop one day.  So, My mom and I loaded up the mini van one weekend to attend Western's incoming freshman orientation.

The very first people I met when I arrived at that orientation were Khalisha and her mom, Mrs. Sabree.  Khalisha with her Whitney Young proper talk, Gucci bag and Evergreen Plaza Regis salon hair style and me with my valley girl talk, Jeri curl and bobbi socks with gym shoes.  We instantly connected (Khalisha is one of my best buds and Gabby's Godmother) and her mom immediately took me under her wing. 

Mrs. Sabree was a big woman, in my mind she was at least 2 feet taller than me.  Even without her height, she commanded respect with her deep voice, but gentle nature.  All of my memories of Mrs. Sabree are of her smiling, chatting and taking care of people. 

Mrs. Sabree handed me an extra plane ticket one year to travel with the family to Florida and the Bahamas for spring break, she hung out with my mom during parent's weekend at Western, when all we really wanted to do was go to parties and not hang out with our parents, she very sternly, yet gently gave Khalisha and I a stack of articles on "the dangers of tattoos" when we set off to find a tattoo place that would give us our first tattoos while we were under-age and she sat proudly at my wedding, helping out where needed but making sure to have a good time.

Khalisha and I were just having dinner together last Friday and reminiscing about our parents, so I was completely unprepared for her phone call early Monday morning.  Mrs. Sabree had died at home after a dinner with her family on Sunday night. 

Today I attended a simple, but magnificent tribute to Mrs. Sabree's life.  She was the rock and support for many, dedicated to her family and fiercely vibrant, independent and strong.  I was privileged to have known her and have her welcome me into her home and her family. She will truly be missed.