Celebrating Life with Elder Law Colleagues

On the heels of last week’s back-to-back conferences of Pennsylvania Elder Law Institute and the Pennsylvania Association of Elder Law Attorneys, I attended a more somber event on Saturday. It was the memorial service for Bob Rosenberger, husband of Harrisburg-based Elder Law leader Marielle Hazen.  Bob died much too young, following a tough battle with cancer.  The service was a tribute to his life of caring for others (both through his professional life as a social worker and because he was a best friend of so many).  We were also celebrating his humor, his love of hiking, sports and music, and his devotion to his two children and Marielle. There were tears and also lots of laughter as his friends and family told stories. 

What also struck me was that the audience was filled with people from all parts of the lives of Bob and Marielle.  Near me was a client of Marielle; next to me was one of Bob’s many lifelong buddies, carrying a photo of their shenanigans at an epic Halloween party one year.  And also around me were other lawyers — elder law attorneys from near and far — friends who were sharing their love and respect for Marielle and their admiration for her 30-year partnership with Bob. 

At the end of the service, we received red bud tree saplings as a continuing tribute to Bob’s love of nature and all things beautiful.  Normally I would be worried about how best to plant this young tree, as my green thumb often fails me.  But Marielle’s story allayed even that worry.  She told how Bob had lovingly nursed a new planting of one of his favorite trees for many months, calling Marielle to see a new nub of growth.  She also told how he happened to be looking out a window at the sapling when a passing deer managed to devour that particular project in one bite.   

It’s all about the journey in life, not just our small successes and failures.