Betty, Don, Daniel, Leslie, Larry, John, Chris & Milo ~
Thank you for allowing us to gather here today to honor and celebrate the beautiful and luminous Tamara!
Family was EVERYTHING to Tamara! Absolutely EVERYTHING!
Tamara was a bright light in my life, and it is that very light I turn to now.
Not only was Tamara a friend of mine, she was also a colleague of 20 years. We were first introduced as a colleagues and became friends five minutes later.
On our first day working together we discovered we were also neighbors. We literally lived across the street from one another in Santa Monica. And so began my treasured friendship with Tamara!
Let me speak first about Tamara – my colleague:
Her work ethic was unrivaled.
Everything she did was stamped with excellence.
She was an extraordinary leader, mentor, and strategist.
She worked tirelessly and never, ever took short cuts.
Integrity, diplomacy, and dedication were the driving forces behind each and every task.
She worked with lightning speed and no matter the intensity of the work volume or the pressure of deadlines she always managed to insert a little humor to cut through the stress.
I hit the colleague jackpot with Tamara!
I could not have imagined nor asked for a better friend, collaborator,
and colleague of 20 years.
She cared as a colleague, and she cared as a dear friend.
She was always, always concerned about my well-being.
And always, always encouraged me to take care of myself.
As one of our clients so poignantly stated, “Tamara was part of the heart and soul of PREMIERETV.” And we, her PREMIERETV family, are utterly heartbroken and devasted by the loss of our beloved Tamara. She was deeply loved and respected in our community. And she will always, always, remain a part of the heart and soul of PREMIERETV.
I said earlier that Tamara was a bright light in my life and it is that very light I turn to now! I keep calling on that light to keep her close.
I’d like to share some reflections of Tamara - my friend:
To borrow a line from Neil Young, Tamara had a “heart of gold.” There was no spot on the globe too far to travel to see Neil perform. Years ago, Tamara invited me as her guest to see Neil, LIVE at Carnegie Hall. There we sat, center orchestra, as Neil played so much of his early music, including Heart of Gold. The evening was complete. What a show! We both floated out of Carnegie Hall. An evening I will always cherish and remember.
Tamara believed in the lost art of letter writing. I loved receiving her handwritten notes and cards embellished with an array of whimsical stickers. I called them her, “little notes of happiness.”
Tamara loved her antics and high jinks.
She was always getting into some sort of mischief.
She was a prankster long before pranking became a movement.
I dare say is there anyone here today who was not on the receiving end of Tamara the rascal.
I liked to call laughing with Tamara, “an event!”
Tears streaming down your face.
Utilizing cheek and abdominal muscles you didn’t even realize you had.
Laughter that split your sides wide open.
Her sharp wit loved to catch you off guard, causing you to laugh when you least expected it.
Tamara was a gifted storyteller.
You could rely on her to regale you with stories in such vivid detail that you became a part of the story, you became one of the characters.
Tamara was a fierce champion for all critters big and small, domestic and wild. It was an absolute delight to watch her love affair with Pixel, Ted, and Milo. To hear tales of wildlife encountered in her Red Lodge backyard or on one of her many adventures with Daniel and the little ones in tow.
Her reverence for nature and sheer awe of the wilderness ran deep – to the very core of her being.
Spending time with Tamara in nature was pure joy!
Spending time with Tamara in nature was to know her heart!
Since her passing, Tamara has been speaking to me through nature.
Through a momma groundhog and her two pups.
As I walked by the waters-edge all three poked their heads out of the rocks and momma began walking towards me. Now mind you, this is a location that never before have I seen groundhogs.
Through a chipmunk that has suddenly appeared in my garden making itself known in the early morning hours.
And through a hundred dragon flies that danced around me in the afternoon sun.
Her Spirit-Self is profound and present!
Dearest Tamara, I loved your candor, your spark, your wit, your sass, your joie de vivre, your passion, your philosophy. I loved your heart! Your big, beautiful, brimming heart!
Dearest Tamara, I trust you are soaring with the eagles!
Until we meet again…
Peace to you, my friend.
Peace to you.