Fond farewell to Marianne, my 'American mom'

When I first met Marianne in 1996, she insisted I address her as "Missus Marks". "That's what a gentleman should call a lady," she commanded me.

Her seven-bedroom house was also sprinkled with notes bearing instructions. The one on the kitchen cabinet, for instance, was titled "BASIC TRAINING" and listed ten. The last two read:

9. If you don't know how to operate it, LEAVE IT ALONE!