We mourn again

One of my first students here in Ft. Myers is Rick Stone. Rick just lost his wife of many years, Doreen, to cancer.
   Rick and Doreen had quickly become an integral part of our studio family here soon after he came in to start taking tai chi. He saw the kenpo and wanted to do that, too. He took his first lessons at the age of 68 and became a black belt at age 73. Along the way, Doreen took a women's self-defense course and then started formal kenpo training, eventually earning a blue belt. Husband-wife teams are not unusual in studios but training in their 60's is.
   Rick always addressed Doreen as "my love". It did not matter who was around to hear it. He meant it. The Stones had been married since about 1970, when Rick was diagnosed with terminal cancer and given six weesk to live. Doreen stood with him and was there when he went through a few more bouts of cancer in later years, had a kidney and part of his bladder removed. When she was diagnosed, Rick was there for her.
  Doreen had a form of bone cancer they treated with chemo and radiation. She succumbed on Friday, Feb 4th at Hope Hospice here in Ft. Myers.
   Rick is doing ok and thanks all of you who have made their condolences directly or through me. He's a tough guy who made it through World War 2, escaped from a prison camp and beat the cancer. Those of you in our family mean a great deal to him. Thank you.