Yesterday, as I was leaving the funeral of an old family friend (RIP Bill) a teacher friend of mine called me to tell me that my former teacher/colleague/friend Prudence had passed away on Christmas eve.

It turns out she was murdered outside her home by her boyfriend. 

Disbelief, surprise, saddness. I don’t know how to be eloquent at a time like this. She taught Macbeth, The Awakening, The Yellow Wallpaper, Ethan Frome, The Scarlett Letter, Wuthering Heights, Into the Wild and she was met with a death like this? It seems like a joke. She was 55 and could kick my ass. At about 5’3” she had piercings and tattoos and had insanely toned arms, and abs mind you, wore heels and combat boots and swore constantly. She was riveting, really.

And she taught me more than I can say about confidence and believing in your abilities. I’d leave her class in tears due to a failed in-class essay attempt and she would say “Buck up Buttercup, I know you have it in you, you’re just blocked. It’ll come.” 

To say that I was close to her wouldn’t be saying enough. She put me under her wing and she believed in me. I thought she was one of the best people in the world and in my mind I thought she was invincible. I can’t believe she is gone, but mostly I can’t believe what happened to her. I love you Prudence. You were an absolute delight.

Prudence pictured on left with a friend in New Zealand