The past few weeks have been filled with many stories and memories of my Mom. She is always in our hearts, but especially this time of year with the wedding anniversary of my parents on March 27, the anniversary of her death April 2 and today, April 15, her birthday.

It is no secret that my mom has had an enormous impact on our lives, even after she has left us.  I am sure I will reference her many more times, but I am honored to have my dad write today’s guest post wrapping up our tribute to her.  He fills our lives with more love and inspiration than we can ever measure.

Guest Post by Jim Maguire

A Birthday Celebration: Some People Change Our Life Forever 

Some people come into our life and we are never the same. I remember being introduced to this girl as I was finishing my first year of law school. We met in May and were married the next March. I was never the same after meeting her. Life was fuller, life had more meaning.  I was a more complete person.

Some people come into our lives and we are never the same. For me Susie Ohleyer was that person. She filled me with a self-confidence that made all things seem possible. She had a zest for life and a spirit of adventure that made every day interesting. Even in the face of the stage II breast cancer that changed her and our world forever, she believed that she would beat it and we would be fine.

Susie had a way about her, a certain quiet swagger, which I know is a contradiction in terms, but she had it. She also tried desperately to understand the deeper meaning of life and how to live in peace, in spite of the chaos that surrounded her. She struggled with being forced to leave a life she loved and people she wanted to be there for, spiritually and physically.

For me she was a soul-mate with whom I connected like no other person. She came into my world and life was never the same.  She came into my life and I was never the same. Some people just have that effect on us.

And today, April 15th, was her birthday. So, Happy Birthday, Suso!