There are very few people in the world who are truly one-of-a-kind.
My cousin Vivienne (Viv) was one of those special souls, and my heart is heavy as I think of her being gone from this life; yet I know that wherever it is she has found herself, she is busily making new friends.
Vivienne was always the person I and any of my friends who met her wanted to be when we grew up, despite the 50 year age gap. She was ageless and timeless. Her smile, or the sound of her voice could light up your heart.
Vivienne never met a stranger. Honestly. I recall one story she told me of being on a plane to somewhere (she was a traveler) and how she held a long term conversation with an oriental couple, who spoke no English, and they actually exchanged Christmas cards!
Vivienne had a unique and incredibly positive outlook on the world. She was not spared difficulty in her life, but she saw every glass as ¾ full. It was difficult to complain around Vivienne because complaints seemed to slide off of her; there was no room in her world for complaints. She saw only the beauty.
The last time I saw Vivienne was on m
y wedding day, 7 years ago. Vivienne was the adorable brunette in the baseball cap and red cowboy boots, maybe you remember her?
My friend Mike Falco, who was our photographer, was hired because of the way he shoots photos, very similar to my style. Mike was lurking around, catching those wonderful
moments. Mike came upon Vivienne, all 5 feet of her, giving my new husband a lecture. Not surprisingly, he took this wonderful photo.
Then Vivienne spied him, gently chastised him for taking a photo of her “bad side,” and promptly posed with me, her face turned to expose her “good side.”
What Vivienne failed to realize was that she
only had a good side.
Vivienne Cecile Morgan Kuhrt, October 14, 1914-June 11, 2009
More Notes From the Refrigerator Door 
Aaaaawwwwwww!!!
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Sounds like you will really miss her. It would be great to have more people like that around wouldn’t it.
thanks for telling us about her. my sympathies.
Sandy in the UK
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Wouldn’t it be great if the world was full of Vivienne’s
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What a lovely tribute.
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Wow I can see the family resemblance! I sympathize with you for your loss… on the other hand it is clear she firmly left her mark on you. Where I come from that means she and her uniqueness will live on through you. And given enough time, you are likely to grow into living life in a very similar unique way, so another child can be so impressed by you that both you and Viv will live on through them.
Some folks fade into dust and blow away as if they never existed. Free spirits seldom do though, they stay etched in our memories and stories, they are who they are so we never forget that our short lives are much better when lived out loud.
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How wonderful! Your touching post makes me wish I had met her. What a gift you had to have Viv in your life and I am sure that Viv cosidered you a gift in hers as well.
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I had the joy of meeting Viv twice, once prior to the wedding and the day of, and she was priceless on both occasions. She was the kind of person you wish you had met 50 years ago in her more youthful days. Viv was full of the zest for life and I can only imagine how many must have viewed her in the more conservative ways of years gone by. A woman sporting red cowboy boots and driving a round in her convertible had to have been seen as a real pistol…and that she was, even when I met her. Viv had no time to let the baggage of lifes problems slow her down, she was high speed and low drag and you couldnt help but love her the moment you met her.
This is a soul that will be long remembered and I’m sure she has left her mark on many lives. I know she left hers on mine. Godspeed Viv, we’ll try and keep up.
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What a wonderful tribute, Vivienne sounds like a remarkable lady, I wish I could have met her. Christine
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She sounds like she was a remarkable soul…truly a blessing.
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Yes Viv was one of a kind.I didn’t know her all that well ,but the few times I met her I felt that she was special not judgeme
ntal.She loved youso muchand I kow she was crazy about Arlie.She is ina better pace and I’m sure she’s running it and wearing her red cowboy boots.I truly amsorry for your
loss.She lived a good life and she lived it as she wanted.I love you ,Mom
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Ps I don’t go online that much anymore my next computer will be a MAC,I’m feed up with pc and all the things it does.I’m not evev sure you’ll get this,but I do hope so it gives me a time limit for writing and it’s just about up Love mom
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