Good morning ladies and gentlemen, family and friends, love ones and teammates.  My name is Senior Chief Angie Quackenbush, or Quackers as she insisted on calling me when we first met nearly 15 years ago.  As a young sailor at my first duty station, she had become my first friend, which turned into forever friends, adventurers, and soul sisters.  A friendship that remained strong through the trials and tribulations of deployments, duty stations, time, and distance.  A friendship that was truly a gift that cannot be explained through words.

When we talked about this memorial, she specifically asked me if I wanted to be a speaker.  I told her no, but that if that was what she wanted then I absolutely would.  Her response was “ok good because I already put you name down.”  So here I am.  That conversation perfectly defined our friendship.  She had placed her trust in my and she knew I would do anything for her, no matter how hard it was for me.  I also knew that I could ask the same thing of her, and without question, she would do it.  A friendship like ours was never taken for granted.  Every moment we had was cherished.

She was amazing and bigger than life.  Everyone that met her liked her because of who she was: brilliant, beautiful, artistic, sassy, adventurous, confident, independent, fearless, vivacious and loving.  We experienced a great many things together: rock climbing on accident, hiking during a flash flood, planning our desserts so that we could try more than one, shopping at the bazaar in Afghanistan, exploring Greece even if I did break my teeth, learning about witches in Salem, eating our way across Italy, doing a historic adventure over the 4th of July, and that is only to name a few.  Some of the best times were just grabbing coffee and laughing together.  Her laugh was infectious and you couldn’t help but feel better when you heard it.  All of these memories will be held dear.

I was on deployment half way around the world when I was chatting with her.  I knew something was wrong just by the words she was choosing.  She was so worried about me being gone that she was afraid to tell me; she had been diagnosed with cancer.  I promised her right then, no matter what, I would be there and help any way that I could.  Three years later that promise held true.  Even through all of the treatments and appointments, we still found time to laugh and just enjoy life.  She was a true inspiration, fighting that battle of her life and still doing the things she loved: Photography, pottery, art, teaching herself about technology, history, and her ancestry.  She was strong and independent all the way to the end.

I need to thank her for being a huge light in my life and many others.  I also need to thank momma, Jennifer, Natalie, Aunt Darlene, Kelsey and the family for trusting me the way that they have.  For allowing me to be there for her, for them to love her as my sister, and for bringing such a gift into this world.  You will forever be family and I love you all dearly.  Thank you.

That leads us to today, when some of us will have to do the hardest thing imaginable.  We have to say goodbye.  We will cherish and celebrate her life because it was full… full of love… full of adventure, and she did it her way.  We celebrate a brave woman who touches so many lives, only to make them better.  We celebrate an amazing cryptologist, analyst, and Sailor.  We celebrate a woman that was a true role model and leader.  We celebrate a woman that will be missed greatly.  We love you and will raise a glass in your memory. We celebrate you Leslie.

Fair winds and following seas my sister.  We have the watch.