Above my desk is the portrait of a gently smiling elderly woman, neatly dressed in a maroon garment; her expression seems to suggest a mysterious sophistication, a knowledge beyond our ken.

She is my Queen Patricia.

I don’t remember the exact date, but in the mid-70’s, when I was living at McGinty’s apartment house in Houghton during the beginning of my teaching career at Michigan Tech, a miserable blizzard raged outside my window, suddenly a knock at the door surprised me. Who would be out and about on a night like this?

 I opened the door to find a husband and wife from Copper Harbor, 45 miles away, who introduced themselves as newcomers Patricia and Keith Walters, a couple who planned to open a new shop in Copper Harbor to be filled with varying works of local arts – they heard about me as a photographer and wanted to see samples.

They seemed satisfied with my portfolio and took a bundle, on leaving with them they invited me to their home for Patricia’s birthday party the following week.  I accepted and entered the wonderful world of the most excitingly different family I have ever met.

To begin with, at Patricia’s wish, the party had a Mexican theme – no reason, just a whim. Mexican crepe paper decorated the rooms, Mexican games, aromatic foods – all new and exciting to me. When I left late that night, pleased and in awe, I hoped this was just the beginning of an enduring friendship.

My subsequent visits included the astonishing plans and building of a new multi-leveled home, designed and built mainly by owner Keith Walters on a nearby strip of sloping land, craftsmanship and detail as would please even Frank Lloyd Wright, with its unique blend of originality and utility. I recall still, driving up and opening the lower-level door that leads to an inner door and a length of stairs up to the kitchen and the rest of the home – to Patricia there, standing beautifully regal and smiling, awaiting me – and after the visit, equally in stride she would wave a graceful farewell before closing out my visit.

True to form, I learned her regal nature was both natural and pervasive. Whether caught in her daily activities or in visits with friends or family, performing house chores or her favorite pastime – reading – the aura was there. Totally unaware, she blended her everyday nature with that gently understated persona. I was completely taken in by the way in which she combined that gracious aura with her charmingly natural self.

What did I learn about this fascinating person? The devoted wife of Keith Walters, brother of Michael and mother of three children, she surrounded herself with a great variety of individual objects including exotic works of art – mainly created as the result of earlier training at Detroit’s Pewabic Pottery school. Her standards were always high in everything: food, music, and varied forms of entertainment – never slightly, but seriously and often to great lengths – ever the queen.

I recall several incidents with her and family – enjoyment in discussions from politics to frivolous entertainment, things metaphysical or whimsical. She could turn any issue into an evening’s pleasure, into an unexpected delight, from serious to profound – always fascinating. And, at least to me, always the queen,

With Keith’s passing, she mourned and yet grasped the responsible reins of both mother and father, proving the ability to carry on as both parents might perform. And even as she fell into a serious medical ailment, she held on as best as possible. I recall the last time a friend and I drove in for a visit, she met us from her balcony, waving and smiling charmingly; it was obvious that this could to be our final visit before the sad announcement of her death last week.

I have no doubt she left us all as finally as she could – ever regally as the queen we knew, and to whom each in our own way paid homage.

The queen is dead.

Long live the queen.