Dear Million Dollar Dynasty Women,    Sue Jacobs called me an hour or so ago to share the news that our precious Mary Kay had passed away today. Moments later I received a call from Tom Whatley, the president of the company, informing us that she had passed away at approximately 4:40 this afternoon, Thanksgiving Day, with her son Richard Rogers (CEO of the company) and her extended family with her. I know that we will miss her tremendously, but she has completed her job on earth. Her company is strong and she has passed the torch on to us to carry on her dream of enriching women's lives. I will always treasure the times I got to meet her. I met her the first time 24 years ago when I'd only been in the business 3 months. I traveled to Dallas for January Jamboree, feeling like I didn't deserve to be there-- was broke and I hadn't hardly sold anything in the three months. But I met Mary Kay. Sue Hoy and I, along with the others from Judie Roman's unit, sat on the very front row, right in front of the podium, at every session. Mary Kay was right there, every session…just a few feet away. No bodyguards, no staff keeping us away. I got to visit with her and have my picture taken with her. I still remember the ugly brown skirt and sweater with the hood that I wore as she looked into my eyes and told me I could succeed at this business. That Jamboree changed my Mary Kay destiny and, ultimately, my life. The next time I got to speak to Mary Kay was at DIQ training in Dallas. I had tea and cookies in her home, had another picture taken with her, and got to sit in her famous sunken bathtub. But the most memorable thing was to be sitting directly in front of her during training when she used me as her role-playing partner. Then again I got to talk to Mary Kay at our National Sales Director Eddie Howley Beggrow’s retirement party. Mary Kay asked me how I was doing, and I said, “Fine.” She looked me in the eye with her stern look and said, “You're not doing fine, you're doing GREAT!” Then, just two weeks before she had her stroke, Sue Hoy and I just happened to be standing alone on a street in Florida before Leadership Conference started. There was a limo parked near us and we wondered who it belonged to. Then, behind us, coming out a side door of a hotel was Mary Kay and her entourage. The people around her tried to get her into the limo, but she stopped and talked to Sue and me. We hugged her and told her we loved her, and she spent a moment with us until her people asked us to step back and for Mary Kay to please get into the limo. She had looked so frail at that time. But the next day, on stage, in front of 5000 sales directors she was a powerhouse! She inspired and motivated us with her wisdom, wit, and charm. You would never have suspected that the frail woman we'd seen the day before was the same one on stage. At that moment I realized that she received strength from us, just as we received strength from her. Just two weeks later we heard that she'd had the devastating stroke that took her speech. We didn't see her again until about three seminars ago when she was brought onstage and whispered to us, “I love you.”  And Mary Kay, WE LOVE YOU, TOO! The company has already posted a web site in tribute and to give us updated information. The web site is www.marykaytribute.com. I encourage you to visit this beautiful site. When I contrast what we have been offered from Mary Kay--the effect our company has on boosting women's self-confidence and self-esteem (whether as a customer or as a consultant)--with the situation of women in repressed countries such as Afghanistan, I am truly thankful on this Thanksgiving Day that I was born in America! It is up to us to take Mary Kay's God-given dream and continue to take it to the world! Even to the women of Afghanistan. So, let's take our beauty cases, starter kits, and on-the-go bags and change women's lives. We have a mission that was given to us by Mary Kay herself--to take what we have been given and to share it with others. We can and we will. Thank you, Mary Kay. You’ll always be in our hearts. Donna Bayes		Links to Newspaper Articles: Dallas News Obituary New York Times Obituary Chicago Tribune Article Mary Kay's Wisdom Life Lessons Dream Company Principles Mary Kay on Attitude Mary Kay on Business Mary Kay on Heritage Mary Kay on Success Mary Kay on Values Other Articles Mary Kay Ash