A Tribute to Liz Wile!

I need to take a time out from my heart blog and pay tribute to a dear friend. This blog entry is dedicated to Liz Wile.

About 18 years ago I received a phone call. It was early spring of 1992 & I just finished picking the Mountville Cubs baseball traveling team for the season. Her name was Liz and her son Ryan Wile just made the team for the first time. I’m sure most of you have been through sons and daughters trying out for teams! And many of you have called the coach! This call was different!

Liz is what all baseball Moms should be like!

Of course Liz was excited and ready to help in any way possible this baseball season! You see, Liz was born and raised in Mountville. Then, she proceeded to talk all about Mountville, the families, the school, and the baseball history of Mountville! In fact, her husband Dale played for Mountville and was on a team that won a New Era Championship! (And he & Liz were there to enjoy a Mountville Indians New Era Title with their sons!)

Liz was a Mountville Mom!

This was the beginning of a friendship between two families that I hope everyone has a chance to experience and at the heart of this relationship was Liz! It started with baseball and continued as our boys developed a very special friendship. Ryan & my son Josh became very close friends! In fact, my son Josh called Liz Mom! How many boys are lucky enough to have TWO great Moms!

Liz was Josh’s second Mom!

On the baseball field, on my “Field of Dreams” the Mountville VFW baseball field, Liz was a very supportive Mom! The summer days when the boys had their first B-B guns! To birthday parties, family get-togethers, graduations, fishing at Barley’s Pond, building snow forts, and all the things that families experience! The years flew by and our families enjoyed many special moments.

Liz was a big part of special years of our families growing!

In fact, the Albright family was able to experience many “Wile” family unique activities. My favorite was the “Miss America Party”! What happens is you get together and watch the Miss America Pageant. The fun part is you pick one of the finalists name out of a hat and cheer on your contestant. That is where the craziness begins! And to make it even more fun is the family members and all the comments about our beautiful contestants! Liz has a BIG family and a FUN family! What a night! What fun! What a GREAT family.

And at the center of the party was Liz.

So Liz, you were a great friend, a dedicated wife, a loyal family member, and most of all an incredible MOM! Your love of your husband Dale and children Angie, Ryan, Brent & Cody was so obvious! And with that add Grandmother! You will be missed, but not forgotten in our hearts and minds.

Liz lost her battle with cancer yesterday. Liz helped make this small town of Mountville a better place and we are all lucky to have you as a Mom, a family, and a friend!

The entire Wile family - Dale, Angie(Matt & girls), Ryan, Brent, & Cody are in our thoughts & prayers!

Jim & Sue Albright