Maudlin Pond Press... on Tybee Island
Kaaren Andersen Nowicki – mischievous, loving, stylish and utterly original – brought joy to all who knew her. She grew up in Whitewater, Wisconsin and attended Carroll College, where she met her husband, Steve. Kaaren taught elementary school until their son, Andy, was born, then engaged in family, school and church activities while he grew. At age 50, Kaaren entered Candler Theology School, earning a Master’s of Theological Studies. She became chaplain at Emory University Hospital Midtown, which led her to publish Spiritual Triage, a supportive guide for hospital staff. She wrote marvelous, unpublished poetry as well. At Saint Bartholomew’s Church, Kaaren founded The Sunflower Connection, a program that trained parishioners to become attuned listeners to community members in need. She also served on the Altar Guild for more than two decades.
We untied the white velvet ribbon and opened the hinged lid to discover a huge collection of old letters. I’d expected something more exciting, like a ballerina doll or new black patent leather party shoes. Instead, I saw hundreds of envelopes, each of them edged with red-and-blue chevrons and hand addressed in black ink. My disappointment dissolved when Mom let me know that the letters, grouped into bunches tied with blue satin ribbons, were written by my father during World War II.
