“Amanda being the youngest of four daughters was very much the baby of the family. She was easy going and sweet. Her bus driver even told us she was the sweetest child on the bus. Her imagination was used a lot, she could sit and play Barbies for hours. She loved to play out parts in musicals such as “Meet Me in St. Louis” and was good at it. With a lovely voice, it seemed singing came naturally whether it was in the shower, along with the radio, or solo in a school show.
Several times she spoke in public too, once at a town meeting, then as an addict at a Women of Faith Conference and finally at her sister’s wedding reception. Mandy, aka many nicknames among which were “Bear-Bear” as a baby, then Buck as a member and Buzz as an employee at the Boys & Girls Club here in Plymouth. Sometimes I used Bethie as her pet name.
Some of my favorite memories with her are camping as a family, summer days of swimming at the pond & family reunions on the Cape. At one reunion, Amanda surprised all the relatives when as a small child she sang “Somewhere over the Rainbow” during Karaoke. She made us proud at her dance recital too. Other favorite memories were the many shopping trips just the two of us went on. Her personality was really something! Funny, witty, loving, and she was popular among her friends. She was a hard worker, pre- addiction Mandy professed her faith in Christ and was baptized. She was a believer in Jesus Christ, which gives us hope of a reunion.
I know she valued her family above anything else and even while living away in the last five years of her life she always kept in touch, made visits whenever she had the chance, and NEVER missed the holidays. The 4th of July was her favorite! Amanda was a talented writer and that was her dream. She kept a journal and wrote many poems: she was devastated when her book of poems was stolen. Amanda was beautiful both on the inside and the outside, always lighting up the room with her soft sweet spirit. If love could have saved her she would still be here with us. Our family is broken and will only be complete when we all meet again in heaven.”
Written by Brenda Randall