I’m too sad to do this well, but I wanted to tell you that Tara passed away this morning. I made this picture outside her house when I visited her two days ago to say goodbye. It felt to me that her light was illuminating this tree in her yard with all the fierceness of her spirit. Tara’s sister Krista posted this quote on Tara’s CaringBridge site today and it’s been comforting me all day. I hope it gives you comfort too.

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: “There, she is gone!”

“Gone where?”

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear the load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: “There, she is gone!” There are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: “Here she comes!”

And that is dying.

~Henry Van Dyke

If you want to hold her husband two little boys, Liam and Quinn, and family in your heart and prayers, that would be appreciated. Here is information on how to make a contribution to the Tara S. O’Connor Memorial Fund (in lieu of flowers).
If you would like to contribute via check, please make donation payable to:
TARA S. OCONNOR DONATION ACCOUNT
Mail these checks to:
National Bank By Mail
(Chase)
PO Box 36520
Louisville, KY 40233-6520

Electronic transfer will be set up soon.