12/15/2025
On Saturday, December 13, 2025, at the end of Mrs. Catherine Burgess's funeral service, I shared this photo with those in attendance, and I felt led to share it here as well.
This is Catherine, Helen, and Valerie, whom I affectionately, and now posthumously, refer to as the "Golden Girls," not because of their ages, but because of their value. Gold is precious, refined over time, and enduring, and that is exactly what their friendship, sisterhood, and love for one another represented. What they shared was rare, meaningful, and worth treasuring and definitely worth sharing.
All three women were born in the same year, 1961. Their lives began in the same season of history, and within this past year (2025), they were called home just months apart. Even their dates seem to speak to one another, reminding us how closely life and time can intertwine.
When you look at this picture, you see what truly matters........ friendship, laughter, being present with each other, and love. It reminds us that life is precious and short, and that the moments we share with family and true friends should never be taken for granted. They lived connected. They laughed together. They valued one another, and even in death, their deaths were together. That kind of example speaks louder than words.”
I had the honor of caring for both Helen and Catherine, and that is something I do not take lightly. In my line of work, you come to understand that love leaves an imprint. Friendship leaves a mark. And theirs certainly did.
Psalm 90:12 reminds us, “So teach us to number our days, that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom”. Let this photo do exactly that, teach us to value our days, our people, and the love we share while we still can.
Life is brief. Love is lasting. And genuine friendship is like gold, it always remains precious.
In loving memory:
Helen Walker Lewis
March 11, 1961 – June 12, 2025 (Age 64)
Catherine Shipmon Burgess
March 29, 1961 – December 7, 2025 (Age 64)
Valerie Newkirt Cone
December 20, 1961 – March 29, 2025 (Age 63)
