TheAgitator.com
Corinne Schillings
Monday, March 8th, 2004The Saturday capsize of a ferry in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor hit too hard, too close.
Corinne Schillings, a friend, a Cato colleague, and a terribly sweet person, is among the three still missing and presumed dead, along with her fiancee, Andrew Roccella.
Corinne and Andrew were recently engaged, and had invited both sets of parents to Baltimore for the weekend so the families could get better acquainted. Both Corinne’s and Andrew’s parents survived the accident.
Corinne was 26. She was Cato’s webmaster, and a native of the Chicago area. Those of you who frequent the Cato website probably note how often the site changes over the course of the day. All of those changes and updates were Corinne’s handiwork.
Her charming gullibility, sweet demeanor and tendency toward shyness I think led many people (myself included, until I got to know her better) to underestimate just how serious a person and thinker Corinne was.
About six months or so ago, I inadvertently revealed my surprise (I’m a terrible actor) at spotting an issue of The Economist poking out from Corinne’s bag. I guess she just never struck me as the kind of person who would read The Economist, much less have a subscription. Yes, awfully elitist of me. And awfully wrong. That’s when I learned Corinne was spending her nights pursuing a master’s degree in international finance. She was also fluent in three languages. And of course, she was proficient in or in the process of learning lots of web-based programming stuff as part of her regular job.
The coincidence that Corinne and Andrew would be two of the three missing from some 30+ people on the ferry makes me inclined to think something noble happened, that perhaps one perished while coming to the aid of the other. Both were in excellent shape, far too fit to imagine that the two of them could be swept up in the current. Hard to think that the two people on that ferry most likely to survive such an event were two of the few who didn’t. Risking her own safety to help someone else — particularly her fiancee — is certainly something I could see Corinne doing. And from the way she spoke of him, it’s an act one could envision from Andrew, too.
I’m afraid that anything I might write at this point risks coming off trite, tired and cliched. It’s hard to express the thoughts that come with the too-soon death of a good person in terms that haven’t already been expressed thousands of times before.
But the hell with it. Let’s just embrace the cliches. Because they couldn’t be more accurate.
It is unfair. It was too soon. It’s an inexplicable waste of two young lives, so-far well-lived. And yes, the rest of us really are left with nothing but a big, fat “why?”
For some, I guess a sudden, justless void like this one brings them closer to their faith. For others, like me, you look at two people plucked from life with such randomness, and you sorta’ wonder how anyone could have any kind of faith to begin with.
To be honest, I’m still a little numb. My job at Cato put Corinne and I in conversation every day, several times a day, for the last year and a half or so. I still half-expect to get an email from her when I get to the office tomorrow morning.
I suppose the abundant tears, sullen faces, and heavy drape of grief hanging over Cato today are better testament to Corinne’s character, cheer, and the number of people to whom she was important — and just how important she was to them — than any pap I could muster to write on a website.
She’ll be very missed.
Radley, I know it probably doesn’t help, but please accept my condolences.
For some, I guess a sudden, justless void like this one brings them closer to their faith. For others, like me, you look at two people plucked from life with such randomness, and you sorta’ wonder how anyone could have any kind of faith to begin with.
For what it’s worth (not much)…I know exactly how that feels.
My condolences.
Thanks. And I hope this doesn’t sound snotty, but let me stop you all before any more condolences come in.
I really just wanted to post a farewell to Corinne. I don’t want to elicit any sympathy, and I certainly don’t want this post to be about me.
I was just a friend - a workplace friend.
Her family deserves your thoughts far more than I do.
Well said, Radley. All of it.
My thoughts are with you, Corinne and Andrew.
My thoughts go out to you and Corrine’s family. How sad, she was so young.
A Tragic Ferry Ride
Unlike my ferry ride earlier today, some rides aren’t so beautiful. The Agitator was connected to two of the three people who are still missing from the capsize of the ferry in Baltimore’s Inner Harbor. For some, I guess a
Sorry to hear.
I lost a good friend a year ago today in a seriously bizarre accident. She was 24. You can never make sense of it. People die, events happen - but it’s sort of ingrained in us that we’ll make it to old-age.
Fine eulogy. From the sounds of things, one this young couple deserved. I’m sorry.
My condolences.
a terrible loss, she and her fiance are irreplaceable.
The time you won your town the race
We chaired you through the market-place;
Man and boy stood cheering by,
And home we brought you shoulder-high.
To-day, the road all runners come,
Shoulder-high we bring you home,
And set you at your threshold down,
Townsman of a stiller town.
Smart lad, to slip betimes away
From fields where glory does not stay,
And early though the laurel grows
It withers quicker than the rose.
Eyes the shady night has shut
Cannot see the record cut,
And silence sounds no worse than cheers
After earth has stopped the ears:
Now you will not swell the rout
Of lads that wore their honors out,
Runners whom reknown outran
And the name died before the man.
So set, before the echoes fade,
The fleet foot on the sill of shade,
And hold to the low lintel up
The still-defended challenge-cup.
And round that early-laurelled head
Will flock to gaze the strengthless dead,
And find unwithered on its curls
The garland briefer than a girl’s.
–A.E. Houseman, A Shropshire Lad, Poem 19, To An Athlete Dying Young
I’m so sorry to hear it.
My sincerest condolences.
I do find solace in the fact that they died together so that neither has the burden of loss to bear alone.
I didn’t know her as well as you did, Radley, but I also thought she was the most amazingly sweet and wonderful person anyone would ever want to know. I’m still stunned by all of this. Beautiful eulogy, my friend.
My condolences to both you and their families. What a terrible tragedy.
Incredibly sad for the families and friends of the couple. Sounds like the world lost two beautiful souls.
My sincere condolences.
I went to High School with Corinne and I didn’t really know her all that well, but it was still really shocking to hear what had happened. It sounds like she did so much with her life and had so much left to do. I can’t even begin to imagine what her family and friends must be going thru…
I posted this on the other comments, but, I thought I would post it here, too. The Schillings family has established a fund to commemorate Corrine’s life. Donations can be sent to The Corinne Jeannine Schillings Foundation; c/o Premier Bank; 320 S. Center Ave., Jefferson, WI 53549.
I went to Sunday school and high school with Corinne. I knew her, although casually, as a shy yet very friendly person to be around. I was also in her father’s Social Studies class. I found the Schillings to be wonderfully pleasant and light-hearted. It is sad that they are experiencing such a loss. It was quite a reality shock for me, because I am the same age, also multilingual, and very soon, plan to announce an engagement. However, I am hearted to hear that Corinne lived fully and wasted no time enjoying her life while she was here. My sympathy & love.
I went to Sunday school and high school with Corinne. I knew her, although casually, as a shy yet very friendly person to be around. I was also in her father’s Social Studies class. I found the Schillings to be wonderfully pleasant and light-hearted. It is sad that they are experiencing such a loss. It was quite a reality shock for me, because I am the same age, also multilingual, and very soon, plan to announce an engagement. However, I am heartened to hear that Corinne lived fully and wasted no time enjoying her life while she was here. My sympathy & love.
Do you know any information on a service for either Corinne or Andrew?
thanks
I would like to thank you Radley for writing something so beautiful about my cousin. She was everything you said and more. She will be terribly missed, but never forgotten by anyone who was fortunate enough to know her.
Radley - I’m glad you experienced some of the many amazing things about Corinne. I remember she was very impressed with you also. She was honestly like no one I have ever met. I feel grateful and blessed to have known her and unbearable grief to lose her. Thank you for writing about her.
http://www.ringtones-dir.com/get/ ringtones site free. Free nokia ringtones here, Download ringtones FREE, Best free samsung ringtones. From website .