Eulogy continued / Part 2:

There was a half-written travel diary from her time in Barcelona.  And at the end of the diary, she had written a critique to herself on how to improve her travel diary.  
A couple of poems, one of which, by E.E. Cummings, is in the program for today.   And another which I’m actually going to read at the end.  
 
My favorite notes were the two she wrote comparing the plusses of living in NYC to the plusses of living in California.  
For New York she wrote:
• No need for car & expenses
• Art Galleries and Museums
• A space for Hannah if she wanted to attend college in New York
• No earthquakes
• And lastly….. It’s NYC!

For California she wrote:
• Family
• Weather
• Kathy Tully and friends
• Book Club
• Prime Table & Market Tavern take out
• Readily available Tri-tip
• No hurricanes
• Home delivery of herbal delights
 
There was a haiku that I’m honestly not sure if she copied out or she wrote:
Still Carrying on, As if I were not broken, as if I were whole
 
There is a whole world in those notes.   Reminders of a life.

Libby wouldn’t want me to get super emotional, she would tell me to take my Xanax and keep going.  

These last years, she spent as a surrogate mother to me, a role I’m sure she would have said she was never suited for.  But like all her other roles, she did it with love and flair.  

She had so many families.  The family of her childhood that raised her while growing up all over the world. Here in California – her family of blood and of love, a family across America with the different actors/actresses she worked with, the family in New York City where she built an amazing life, and her own little family with Richard in their cozy apartment in Washington Heights.  

She was loving and fierce and funny.  

She was a character not just on the stage but in life as well.

Here is the Eulogy:

Part 1 (had to break into pieces to fit)

I wasn’t sure how to write this.  I mean how do you eulogize someone like Libby.  It’s like eulogizing Auntie Mame, which was how I often thought of Libby in my life.  Someone larger than life who really lived each day to the fullest.  

Weirdly, I realized while scrolling through the notes in her phone, that I was getting these amazing little moments and insights that might be a good way to give glimpses of Libby and her personality.  

For a woman who I believe hadn’t cooked in over a decade, she had 163 recipes saved in her notes.  163 recipes that she had meticulously typed out or saved.   So, Gary and I are now talking about going through and making some of those recipes.   
 
She had dozens of notes on different glasses frames she wanted to try.   Zeelool, Amazon…basically anywhere she could get the biggest, coolest frames.  Or make-up that she had read about and wanted to get.  Though honestly, we had several conversations about both our very minimal make-up routines and how we kept using the same 4-5 products.

She had a note named DCs, with several lines of enigmatic code that I have yet to decipher.   And at least 4 or 5 different note pages with passwords and logins.  

Libby saved little reminders to herself, bills to pay, how tie colors on bread loaves are coded for when they’ve been placed on the shelf, an art center in Fishtail, Montana that I assume she wanted to visit, and a list of every time she left the apartment during Covid.  

She had several sections of plays written out:
• A song from Guys and Dolls
• A section of Romeo and Juliet
• Some of Fiddler on the Roof

All the James Bond movies in release date order

Sometimes I came across book or movie reviews.   Some were several paragraphs long, some a quick sentence or two.  

After watching every Star Wars movie, she wrote a small essay on how we don’t have heroes anymore.

I knew Libby from our theatre days at the University of the Pacific, in Stockton.  I'm sorry our paths didn't pass again at Utah Shakes - one of my favorite theatre experiences.   But we might have been laughing too hard to get anything done.  Love ya forever.

Ron Ranson
USF Principal Scenic Designer 1984 -1990

Dear Libby,

I feel blessed to have met you. I'm grateful for the opportunity to have shared moments with you and for the warm welcome you always extended to us. Your stories, kindness, and radiant smile will be deeply missed.

I'll never forget our shared love for pigs! Collecting pig-themed treasures brought us so much joy, and our conversations about them are cherished memories. I'll always treasure our conversations. Your NYC boxes will remain a sweet, unopened surprise, but the memories we shared will stay with me.

You will forever hold a special place in our hearts. We thank you for the opportunities, gifts, and love you shared with us.

I will always cherish the memories of you with affection.

May God embrace you in His loving glory.

Fly high, dear Libby.

With love and gratitude,

Karen Fuentes

Libby was an incredible performer who shared her passion for life and love of others through her stage and television work. I had the great good fortune to know her through her many appearances on the stages at the Utah Shakespeare Festival. No matter the stress of openings or other dramas, Libby always had the joy of laughter and a wonderful sense of humor to share. She will be greatly missed by all who knew her and rubbed shoulders with her beautiful "light".

I have too many memories to ever forget my darling Lib!  I will miss you so much!  Your humor, sense of irony and your guidance.  Rest well dear heart and give Richard a big smooch from one of his Diva's.

Libby will be fondly remembered by Anders Sarah and Freya Thomsen as the classy kind generous funny and fun New York City actor that she was.We will cherish the memories of times spent in her company.We send our heartfelt condolences to her nearest and dearest .

Libby will be fondly remembered by Anders Sarah and Freya Thomsen as the kind classy generous funny and fun New York City actor that she was . We will cherish the memories of times spent in her always excellent company . We send our heartfelt condolences to her nearest and dearest.

Libby was amazing: talented, funny, beautiful, stylish, witty, and an actress beyond compare. She was a hoot to talk to, gave excellent advice, and passed down some SERIOUSLY nice designer pieces to me, which might sound shallow, but is also indicative of her deep and genuine heart. I will never forget how she opened her home to my husband and me when we were in transition from one coast to another - without conditions or pressure. Her home was our home: we are still so grateful. 

For me, the most amazing thing about Libby was how happy she made my Da, and how happy he made her. I am an atheist, but I still think of their union as “a match made in heaven.” I will always love her for the love and joy she gave my father… and be amazed and gratified by the love and joy he gave to her. As a couple, they seemed touched by some elemental magic that few achieve. I was humbled by their devotion and their bond.

RIP to a  deeply loving, beautiful, elegant, and glorious soul!

OBITUARIO

Elizabeth Ann Colahan

8 noviembre, 1942 – 15 octubre, 2024

DeYoung Memorial Chapel

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