Dulcie Brand

 One of my oldest college friends died last weekend,  Dulcie Brand was a force of nature.  Brilliant, brash, independent, set in her convictions, and all around fun.   Was so driven that you knew she would be successful, and indeed she was an amazing and accomplished attorney.  She was an incredible sister and aunt.  She was a fiercely loyal friend who I turned to during two of the most difficult situations in my life, and never once wavered in her support.   She was a life long Democrat, and was proud of it.  She was liberal and cared about the greater good much more than she did about individual success, while still enjoying the finer things in life.  She was adventurous and brave, and a mentor to many young attorneys and women who looked up to her and all she had accomplished.  She loved good food, she loved to travel, she loved to cook, and she loved the farmers market on Sunday mornings, often cooking the prizes scored there the very day she found them.  She loved Texas A&M and Aggie football, while still seeing the flaws of the Aggie culture.   Cotton bowls, countless football games, tailgating, pre and post game celebrations at the farm.... I have so many memories over the years with Dulcie......like the Young Democrats convention in Austin,  election night when Jimmy Carter won, the state Democratic Convention in Houston,  the Conehead ring toss at the MSC, the AstroBluebonnet bowl when we lost to USC, countless Aggie football games including the biggest come from behind loss to UCLA in the Rose Bowl in 109 degree heat.  Dinner at Gabriel Kruether in NYC, seeing "Carousel" on Broadway, seeing "Once" at the Pantages in LA and hating it with me famously saying they called it once because you would never see it again!  I hosted her in Philly and met her friends Nancy, Stuart and Rick. She joined me for Mardi Gras my last year in New Orleans and my friend Julie Rodrigue christened her "Dulcie the Mardi Gras Virgin" and calls her that to this day.  She wore a emerald green gown to the Krewe of Mystic Ball that we attended with the Riddicks, and helped me host a party to watch the Krewe of Thoth parade where we served chili to about a hundred people!  We met in San Francisco and stayed at the Fairmont and rode the cable cars and ate seafood and Chinese and walked and shopped with a purpose.   She met me in Amsterdam to go and visit my brother and his family in Belgium where we visited the Keukenhof during the height of tulip season.  I remember one visit to LA where we saw an amazing Chagall exhibit and another with Calder stabiles and mobiles.  There are so many memories over the 47 years that I knew her.  A beautiful collage of memories, tastes, sights and her trademark laughter.

I also remember being with her and her mom Adele when they brought her brother Jim to MD Anderson in Houston for treatment, and consoling her when they ultimately lost him.  I also remember eating spanakopita at her Moms house in Ft Worth, the pies they bought at a church and kept at the ready for company dropping in.  Dulcie was the consummate host and loved to entertain, just like her mom and sisters.  She could be loud and quick to annoy and had a firm opinion about most everything, but you always knew where she stood, and where you stood with her.  I loved my dear friend, in spite of her flaws, and she loved me, in spite of mine.  Over the years we fought some of the same demons.......ones brought about by success and the resultant loneliness that can come with it,  as well as the seduction of food and drink which periodically controlled our lives, demons which ultimately and sadly took hers.  Rest in heavenly peace and love and light Dulcie Brand.  You live in my heart and in those of your beloved family and friends.