Lara and I lost a dear friend this week. We knew Boogie’s health was failing. She’d been given only a few years to live. But we were stunned when she was robbed of even those few precious years. Rather than dwell on the sadness of losing Boogie, we spent a lot of time talking about the good times and how she brightened our lives.
One of my favorite Boogie stories dates back to the Birmingham days, when we were all hanging out in the kitchen. I was banging on a guitar. Lara was being her cheerful self. And a beleaguered Boogie was trying to make daiquiris. As she struggled to make the drinks, we started heckling her from the peanut gallery.
“Y’all shut up and drink,” she said, just as she hit the start button on the blender.
Without missing a beat, I pounded out a few blues chords on the guitar and howled:
“Y’all shut and and drink/
She said from the sink”
Unfortunately, my lyricism ended there and those are the only words I was able to put to the song. But it lives on in infamy.
You left us too soon, Lynn. But you live on in thousands of fond memories and two incredible children. Thanks for the years you did give us. They were a gift.
Here’s the obituary that ran today in the Montgomery Advertiser:
EVANS, Carol Lynn Rollings, 43, loving mother and award-winning journalist, known affectionately as
11 replies on “Remembering a friend”
i’m shocked and so sorry to hear the sad news. i did not realize that boogie was facing such serious health problems.
i recall often hearing bob’s rendition of “ya’ll shut up and drink”. somehow, i think that boogie would find that a fitting tribute.
Good lord. What happened to Boogie? Did diabetes kill her?
I think the actual cause of death was a stroke, but it was brought on by heart problems. I think she’d already had a bypass, and the doctors said her heart wouldn’t last. She wasn’t a good transplant candidate because of the diabetes.
Does heart trouble run in her family, or was it a complication of her weight?
Not really certain about family history, but I don’t think her weight was the main problem. I think she just had bad wiring.
I love your tribute to my sister
Lynn “Boogie.” You and Lara are
incredible! Thanks for everything
but especially for being Boogie’s
friend. I’m looking for pictures
of Jingles.
I’m glad you like it, Debbie. Boogie was incredibly special. I’m hoping to get some Jingles photos online later today.
Being Lara’s sister, I have many wonderful memories of Boogie. I remember a kind person who seemed to always be either smiling or giggling. She always made me feel okay just to be myself.
While I have many memories of her, there are two that stand out for whatever reasons.
We were at Lara & Bob’s getting ready to grill out. Boogie was trying, unsuccessfully, to light the grill. When at last it did light – with tremendous pizazz! – Boogie was left with no eyebrows and what looked like a pretty good sunburn. Since she didn’t seem to be seriously injured, we all laughed, and laughed, and laughed, and laughed…….
The second memory is quite silly, but has stuck with me for years. Again, we were at Lara and Bob’s cooking. This time, fajitas. I had never made fajitas before. Boogie was getting the tortillas ready to heat in the oven. She placed them on a very large piece of foil, putting just a touch of butter between each one. She wrapped them tightly and put them in the oven to warm.
To this day, I cannot heat tortillas up in the oven without thinking of Boogie. It’s a silly thing, I know, but what a pleasant memory that comes along so regularly.
We will all miss Boogie very much. She was absolutely a unique and special person.
I’d forgotten all about the seared eyebrows. That was hilarious. Vintage Boogie.
Hello,
Thanks for your blog and your appreciation/obit for Boogie. She and I lost touch over the years after college and the Montgomery papers. I had heard she has died and couldn’t find any information besides your web page. She was the best and I will miss her.
Thanks,
mark
Mark:
Glad you were able to get info via the blog, even if the info was sad. Boogie’s kids (and dog) all are doing well. They’re a tribute to what a great person she was. We’ll always love and remember her.