Roland Alexander
I am so deeply saddened to learn of Toots's promotion to Heaven. My heart-felt prayers and sympathy to your family. I wanted to respond with this as soon as I had learned of her passing, but it was just too painful! I first met Toots in 1986 at Montville Church of Christ here in Ohio. I was a junior in highschool and began going to the youth group with her. She always made everyone feel special and lit up the room with her love and charm!! She talked me into competing in Bible Bowl where we would compete against other churches answering questions about the Bible. After youth group, we would all go back to her home and her mother would make homemade pizzas for us! Those were some of the best times in my life! Toots and I became close friends and I was lucky enough to have her as my date for my senior prom in 1987. We were such good friends we were not interested in anything romantic. When I picked her up I remember her looking so very beautiful in her dress!! Even though we went as good friends, I still felt like one of the luckiest guys there! I remember Toots playing piano for our church services and she always did an amazing job! She always wrote on her folders that she wanted to be just like Amy Grant! She would write ,"Amy Grant 2" on everything. What I wouldn't give to hear her play just one more time! Life sure does have many twists and turns. When she left to go back to her family after their move, I never saw her again. I had tried to catch up with her now and again through the years, but it just never worked out. I'm sure she was still the silly yet loving Toots there as she was here growing up! Toots' legacy of love and dedication to God, family, and friends will forever bind our hearts together as we are so very fortunate to have had her in our lives, even for just a small while. It is with such a heavy heart I say good bye (even now tears are streaming down my face) to such an amazing woman of God. I am so thankful this good bye will only be temporary and we will all see her again in Heaven! Thank you God for letting us see a glimpse of what Heaven is like in the life she led and the memories I will always hold in my heart! I will forever miss you dear friend!
Love,
Roland Alexander