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A SLICE OF LIFE
Cedar Falls author sweetens
passion with mission
By Anelia K. Dimitrova
3/8/2008 12:00:00 AM
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About 100 people attended a pie party celebrating the publication of the book, A Slice of Life, on Tuesday at Waterloo’s BankIowa.
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A Slice of Life is not just a collection of pie recipes.
In 100 glossy pages, Cedar Falls accountant-turned-editor Sue Fletcher has compiled a slice of life in the Cedar Valley.
And her book is every bit as rich and as meaningful as the stories and the pictures of the people she has featured. The book is Sue’s way of delivering on what her parents, Cliff and Donna Hansen, had taught her at an early age– that giving back to the community is a way of life.
“I was raised that volunteering is what you do,” says Sue on a recent Sunday evening, just before the release of the book. “You volunteer and you do nice things for people.”
Even though Sue’s fascination with pastries is relatively recent, her passion for story-telling is dates back to her childhood.
In September of 2006, Sue tasted the pie her friend, Nancy Stadlman, had made for a Bible study session. “It was the most incredible pie,” she says.
The flavor stayed with Sue beyond the evening and sparked her interest in the craft of pie-making.
Playing with the crust and the ingredients took her back to her childhood days when she made mud pies with cousin Rita Woodward in Nebraska.
But the imaginative mother of two grownup children decided to infuse her creations with a mission beyond the comfort of a full stomach.
Chatting with friends about the experience, she found out that for a dedicated army of pie-makers, the art of crafting a delicious dessert is as joyful and as fulfilling as life.
The idea of layering the recipes with people’s stories soon took on a life of its own and became more than a full-time job for the talented multi-tasker.
From the inception of the project, Sue decided that all the proceeds from the book will go to local charities.
She asked her writers to recommend beneficiaries. Cedar Valley Hospice, Nazareth Evangelical Lutheran Church, Positive Steps, YMCA Together We Play, Pathways Behavioral Services and the Cedar Valley Humane Society will all get their slice of the money pie.
On Tuesday evening, the illustrious group gathered at the BankIowa location in Waterloo to celebrate the publication of the book, and of course, to taste some pies baked just for the occasion.
Working on the book has been an emotional adventure for Sue.
“People shared the most amazing stories with me,” she says. “I heard about everything from a final request of rhubarb pie from a dying father to stories about homemade rolling pins and lasting family traditions.
“In the end, I realized the stories were all evoked by a memory of pie, but not about the pie itself. But at the same time, they are some of the best pie recipes I've ever tried.”
Sue’s husband, Rocky, a nurse anesthetist at Waverly Hospital, occasionally shakes his head at his wife’s enthusiasm, but gives her his unequivocal support.
After all, he can’t complain too loud as he is the first one to try Sue’s recipes.
“Pie is a lot of work and if someone makes you a pie that is a true sign that they love you,” says Sue. “All that work for eight pieces of pie…”
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