I know her smile is often talked about (how could people
not talk about it?) but I always found her eyes to be the most captivating
feature of that angelic face. Beautiful in their own right,
but lit from within by a spark of mischief, brimming over with the
life and vitality of an ebullient soul…You could see the fires burning
in them as her four-thousand horsepower mind set to dismantling my
arguments, and her looks of gratitude expressed a kind of care and
affection so deep that it could (and often did) drop me to my knees... So many little memories…the countless times she punched me as hard
as she could in the arm or leg, laughing devilishly before claiming
in pleading tones that it wouldn’t be fair for me to punch her back…her
visits out to Gonzaga…the conversations at Perkins over coffee, or
on my front porch under the stars, or in my car on a country road,
always ending with me feeling wiser, happier, and very, very fortunate
to have such a thought-provoking and inspiring friend…the time my
friend Jake dropped me off in Bozeman after my Freshman year, consented
to meeting my friend Cody “for a quick visit,” and ended up delaying
his return home to expectant family and friends for three days on
order to get as much time with Cody as possible….She danced her way
through many lives, and left all of them changed for the better. – RC T.
Cody and I used to think it was the coolest thing to dress alike certain days. We would call one another the night before and plan our outfits for the following day. Everything had to be similar. It
Cody was one of the most thoughtful, kind, and
compassionate people I know…We always had a good time…whether it was
sitting in her room talking, finding “accessories” for her to dress
like a “bushman,” admiring the drawings she did on the whiteboard
in the middle of the night, or trying to figure out why the rug in
the kitchen was wet in the morning only to discover that Cody might
have put Dawn dish soap in the dishwasher because she didn’t know
where the dishwasher soap was and learned the hard way that dish soap
will cause the dishwasher to over flow and flood the kitchen. – Anne
C.
I always admired Cody’s character and the strength
with which she faced her illness. She had a contagious laughter
and always a smile. I remember…the vivaciousness, strength,
enthusiasm, joy and liveliness with which she embraced everything
her whole life….she was a graceful charming and beautiful woman whose
mind and body always seemed to be “dancing” no mater what she was
doing. – Matt J.
I remember
being inspired by the beautiful young dancer who shared the same passion
for the art I had – but was overcome by her strength, her depth, her
private unassuming air of grace. Cody, you inspire me. You give me value and taught me to gauge my trials, my life. Thank you. – Phillip
I remember Cody from the
first day of Social Theory. She was one of those few people you notice
right away but can’t figure out why. I remember noticing that
she held herself differently from most people, that she always paid
attention in class (that is every Monday morning), watching everything
that happened with that spark in her eyes…I am absolutely in awe at
the spirit with which she went through every day, at the determination
with which she made her goals in life…I barely knew her, and yet every
time I saw her, her smile made may day a little more memorable. The intensity of her strength made me a little stronger. She
will always have my undying respect. – Gabrielle H.
I fell in love with Cody from the first moment I met her, when she threw her arms around me and gave me a great big hug. It was so kind and genuine that I knew immediately she was someone very special. She radiated such beauty, strength, and infinite kindness. She also had an amazing way about her that always made me feel so comfortable and welcome. -- Cody, I am so blessed to have known you, and so incredibly thankful for all the times I got to spend with you. You have made me a better person. Thank you for being you. – Anne R.
A slinky, she loved slinkies. And jell-0, she couldn't
resist the rubbery texture. Some mashed potatoes, gravy, corn,
chicken, and hot chocolate…no whipped cream. Maybe a good horror
film as well. A crushed bumper. A balled-up dollar bill.
Don't forget the worn pointe shoes and bobby pins…hundreds of bobby
pins. Jack Daniel's should be in there too, with a little bit
of Coke. Sack's
We found a topic that consumed us both – Films. We broke every
film we liked down into its smallest elements – story, dialogue,
acting, cinematography, sound – everything. We shared our favorite films; mine being Good Will Hunting and hers
being Carlitos’ Way, a film that I had never seen and also, to my
dismay, a film that she did not yet own… Shortly thereafter someone
informed me that it was Cody’s birthday. I knew at that moment
what I had to do…I presented it to her proudly the moment I saw her.
She looked quite surprised that I knew it was her birthday at all,
and after some hesitation, began ripping off the ill-fitting newsprint. She had but barely exposed the first corner of the movie, when she
stopped and threw her arms around me, knowing exactly what it was.
I was ecstatic that I could make someone like her so excited and happy…After
high school I went out and bought my own copy of Carlito’s Way, mostly
I think to always have something around that reminded me of Cody. Each time I re-watched it I would find something new to love about
it, especially as my education and training in filmmaking in college
progressed. I graduated on Saturday, the same day Cody
graduated, with a Bachelors Degree in Film. As I go now to begin
my career in the insane world of showbiz, I think of Cody, my first
inspiration, and hope to God that one day I too will make a film that
will also be so dearly loved by someone as fantastically perfect as
Cody Dieruf.
Cody has always had that very special
spark, poise and twinkle in her eyes. One fond memory is of her all
dressed up at our wedding. She was so cute and grown up. Near the end of the day she became a little girl again and could be
found playing outside with the puppy. Whenever I would see her
in public with her friends she always had time to say hello and give
me that big wide Cody smile. She brought joy to everyone she
touched and made a difference in our lives. She was truly a
beautiful soul. –Greg S.
