Vanesa VanValkenburg

I am so very sorry and you have all my condolences... I met Vanesa years ago but it had only been in the last year that we met up again and started to reconnect she will be missed very much R.I.P ... I'll see ya later hun

Peggy, My Condolences to you and your family at this sad time. Please stop over and see me if you feel the need to just talk to someone. Respectfully, Alice

I was honored to be considered part of the family and to be there. I loved her now always and forever.

To everyone who loved Vanesa, who is mourning her death-- (I have to type this in small parts because they don't allow many words...) Vanesa and I became friends when she first moved to Platteville. She'd come float down the Little Platte on inner tubes with us. We'd sit in her room and eat Hostess cakes, listen to music, laugh at whatever came to mind. She told me later in life about what was hard for her during those years. High school...! So many inside jokes we had, sitting together at our lunch table on the far left side of the room. She seemed to suddenly disappear one day -- I didn't know she'd switched to night school. She didn't say anything; I thought she'd moved and didn't say goodbye. I wondered about her, looked for her. The days before facebook. When I moved back to town some ten years later, she was one of the first people I ran into. I felt so lucky to see her again.

(2nd part) We hung out a lot during the years that I lived there. Her birds! (How old were they??) My husband knew her; my kids knew her. When we moved again, we made a point to meet up when we'd stop back in town. We talked about everything. She'd be livid with me sometimes. We'd talk more anyway. She was honest with me; I was honest with her. I wanted my friend to have peace. I wanted my friend to have joy. I can't believe that it's over and done. I can't believe that she's gone. I don't know what this is for any of you -- I can't imagine if my sister or daughter died so young. I just want you to know that she mattered to people. She was significant to us. She's in my heart -- I mourn with you.

There really are no words that feel like enough... I am just so sorry to hear this terrible news. May your family have peace.