Dear Editor,

I am painfully writing this letter in response to your front page article, on Sept. 5, wherein you describe events surrounding the tragic untimely death of my best friend, Cathy L. Schmitz. I feel the last line of the poorly written article was insensitive and unnecessary, not to mention the incorrect and inconsistent spelling of my friend?s name throughout.

Your last comment did nothing to enrich the quality of the story, whatsoever. The lack of thought put into the article did, however, cast a shadow over my friends? memory and character. It is a shame you felt you had the right to do so. In truth, this article was only successful in amplifying a terrible event, in addition to the already brutal year the VanDusen family has been experiencing. It caused more pain for her already grieving mother, siblings, children, grandchildren and friends. As yourself truthfully, if this was your loved one, would you have enjoyed reading an article marring their name by speculating the circumstances of their demise?

Cathy was a resident of Pioche for several years. Cathy tried to live a full life even though she suffered with a severe type of Diabetes and required insulin shots several times a day. Many people knew her and she was well liked. Some were privileged to call her friend.

Cathy was the type of person who would do anything she could to help if you needed it, regardless of the time of day or night. I recall when an elderly gentleman in the community fell ill. Cathy cleaned his home, shopped for his groceries and helped him with his day to day needs. On many occasions, Cathy took local residents to their doctor appointments in Caliente or Utah, because they were unable to drive. When my family fell on hard times, Cathy and her mother went grocery shopping and stocked up my pantry with enough food to feed a small army. Cathy looked out for all the neighborhood kids and treated my children with kindness and loved them as if they were her own.

Cathy constantly looked out for her local stepfather and mother?s health and welfare. If I was feeling troubled, Cathy was always there to listen without judgment and lift my spirits. Cathy was such a prankster and had a great sense of humor. She would make me laugh until my sides split. These are but a few examples of my memory of Cathy.

A person?s life is not measured by one moment in time, but by their whole existence. This was a beautiful person, a kindred spirit, my soul sister, my best friend. I loved her and I miss her. Cathy deserves to be remembered with respect, compassion, honor and dignity, not the way your newspaper article implied and regretfully immortalized in print.

Grieving the loss of my beautiful friend,

Mrs. Rachael Malone, Pioche