Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, August 15, 1995 TAG: 9508150052
SECTION: VIRGINIA PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: LESLIE TAYLOR STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Candice McDearmon was a queen of sorts - of all the community "scoop," of remembering the smallest and largest events in her friends' lives, of "frou-frou," perhaps.
The daughter of a three-star Army general, she had a knack for protocol and etiquette. It showed in her meticulous appearance, the perfectly coiffed naturally curly hair and polished nails. It showed in the dinner parties she held, formal attire required.
"But she was the most down-to-earth person, with a wonderful ability to laugh at herself and not take herself too seriously," said Lissy Runyon, a close friend.
McDearmon, of Roanoke, fell to her death Wednesday while sightseeing at a pyramid ruin outside Cancun, Mexico. A memorial service will be held for her today at Raleigh Court Presbyterian Church.
Runyon spent one evening last week filling three pieces of paper with remembrances of her friend of 13 years. She delivered it to McDearmon's mother.
"I wanted her to know how special she was to us," Runyon said. "It was important to try to capture who she was."
Runyon said she didn't know how she and others would continue their monthly "girls' night out,'' when a close group of 20 or so women, including McDearmon, would gather for good fellowship. Or how to keep the every-six-weeks "gourmet club" dinners afloat without her.
"The first of anything, an occasion or an event that she's usually a part of, is going to be painful for all of us," Runyon said.
McDearmon, 42, whose husband, Gerald, is principal of Roanoke's Fallon Park Elementary School, was a Roanoke school speech and hearing pathologist and USAir ticket agent. Until a few years ago, she worked as a part-time receptionist for Salon One in Southwest Roanoke.
Her circle of friends was wide and diverse.
"When she would have a party, her hairdresser would be there, her florist, her boss," said Kathleen Lunsford, a friend. "She just saw everybody as wonderful."
Lois Shupe, a receptionist at Salon One, said McDearmon constantly did things for people - "anything to help anyone."
"Someone was in here this morning and made the comment that she didn't know how she was going to take a trip now, that Candice did everything for her," Shupe said.
Sherry Cushing, a friend and school co-worker, said McDearmon enjoyed working with children, particularly the underprivileged.
"She was most interested in not only teaching them speech and language, but increasing their self-esteem and manners - simple manners and anything that was the proper thing to do," Cushing said.
"I don't know too many people who lived life with the vengeance that Candice did," Runyon said.
McDearmon was traveling with a friend when she climbed the pyramid to take a picture and lost her footing. She fell from the top, the equivalent of four stories.
The ruins were in a fairly remote area. She died before reaching a hospital.
"There's a sweet irony in this tragic death," Runyon said. "She was out there having a wonderful time and living life. It's not a lot of comfort, but it wasn't atypical of her enjoying life.
"Tuesday's going to be a very difficult day for us to get through. It's going to be very difficult."
by CNB