Lessons in death - respecting our elders and preparing for the inevitable

My piano teacher, Vera Lendvay, passed away this week. She taught me classical piano starting from 3rd grade until I was a junior in high school, and was the singular, most formative force on my musical development. An incredibly vibrant lady, born in Hungary, Mrs. Lendvay (as I always called, even to the end) shared her boundless love of music with generations of piano students in Richmond, VA. She survived two husbands, but it was the death of the second that marked her decline. Despite her ever slowing reaction times, she still drove her Acura RL like a bat out of hell.