I always blamed Alma for my parents' decision to buy a piano and have my sister and I take lessons. That led to several years of recitals at which I was always the worst performer.

Compared with me, Alma was Vladimir Horowitz, though I'll never forget the day she found some sheet music at our house and struggled to play "Zip-a-dee Doo-Dah," from the Disney movie, "Song of the South." It was a long, long afternoon, but she hung in there better than I ever did.

But Alma missed her calling. She should have gone into politics, preferably winning a spot in the United States Senate, specializing in the filibuster. No one – repeat: no one – can outtalk Alma, who does it good-naturedly, but with the tenacity of a pitbull.

Alma was a very good friend to my mother and they remained close until the end.

Alma lives in Liverpool, NY, with her husband Jim. They have two sons, James of Houston and Peter of Baldwinsville, NY