Marilyn Peters - Lawyer, Leader, Friend, Survivor, Hero

I just got off the phone with my friend (and former law partner) of some thirty-four years running, Marilyn Peters, a partner at Dykema LLC (Detroit, Bloomfield Hills, and the world).  Marilyn is married to my friend since 7th grade at Norup Junior High School in Oak Park, Michigan and also Dykema law partner, Alan Greene.   Marilyn has been a member of Dykema's management committee, manages its Bloomfield Hills office, and leads its Commercial Litigation Practice Group.

We worked and raised our kids (all about the same age) in parallel, in suburban Detroit houses a couple miles from each other (actually, a little irritating to my wife Alene who on vacations or when dining out had to listen to the other three of us going on and on about Dykema crap).  

She was also diagnosed with stage IV stomach cancer earlier this spring and is doing her chemo now.  Her blog, "EatChantChemo," is a narrative of friendship, hope, love, survival, and some helpful tips on healthy eating.  

Not only is she one of the most alive people I know, she is personally responsible (let's get our priorities straight here) for Michigan's victory (and therefore ensuing national championship) in the 1998 Rose Bowl because she went into the bathroom at our house in Charlevoix just before Michigan started its final drive, Michigan got a first down, and we didn't want to jinx things, so we didn't let her out for something like seven consecutive first downs and the final punt.

Please read the blog and recall Deuteronomy 30:19:  "I call heaven and earth to witness against you this day, that I have set before you life and death, the blessing and the curse; therefore choose life, that you may live, you and your seed."  Seems to me this is one amazing person's narrative of choosing life.