The Down Range Forum
Member Section => Left The Range => Topic started by: crusader rabbit on June 10, 2013, 07:02:53 PM
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This morning, I got a call from my sister in Mesa, Arizona telling me Mom had passed at 7:41 the previous evening. She passed quietly after several hours of non-responsiveness.
It would be impossible to condense all that she was in anything short of a literary tome of great heft.
Born in May of 1920 to Irish immigrant parents, she was the first in her family to graduate from college. Her dad was a carpenter. Her mom spent a short time as a nurse, but most of her life was spent as a housewife.
Mom had a single brother, a Marine, who was sniper-shot and killed in the Pacific during WWII.
Mom became a teacher, so she was always home whenever we kids were home.
Though she was never a great cook (she was Irish, for goodness sake) she always managed to stretch the food budget so we never once went hungry--even when money was in very short supply.
In her later years, she suffered from Alzheimer's and got to the point some years back where she no longer remembered who I was. It got to the point where she would forget where the fork should end up and food would hover between plate and mouth. The caregivers where she resided would quickly step up with the necessary assistance.
I knew it was coming, and rejoice that she is finally at home with the Lord. She was a woman of great faith and had committed more Scripture to memory than most preachers.
Now, that frail, used-up body has been traded-in for perfection, and she is making the rounds of so many generations of family and her friends who went on before.
And, I know we shouldn't second-guess God, but I wonder why this happened a week after my own major surgery. I will not even be able to make the funeral since it will be at least two more weeks before I can fly.
She was a wonderful Mom to me and to my sister. She was a faithful wife for nearly 70 years to her husband, my Dad. And, she is finally at peace.
Crusader Rabbit
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Sorry to hear this! You're in the prayers already, and this will be added to your healing needs.
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Sorry to hear this CR.
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Very, very sorry.
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Continued prayer for you and your family.
God Bless,
Richard and Norma
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Our deepest sympathies. Having gone through the loss of my dad recently I know the feelings.
Alf and Kitty
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Hey CR, sorry for your loss. My Mom left us in '96 and I still miss her a lot.
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Rejoice in her life, as you obviously do, and rejoice in her new life in the Lord.
As a friend of mine once said, when you lose your first parent, you come face to face with your own mortality. When you lose the second, you become an orphan, regardless of how many aunts, uncles, cousins or sibling you have. Like many here, I have had to face both transitions myself. And now you are facing one of them as well.
Our prayers are with you CR, as with your recent surgery. Be strong in the Lord, Brother!
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My condolences CR.
God Bless..
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I am very sorry for your loss; though we all know it is gain for her to be away from here and with the Lord.
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Sorry to hear the news.
Hang in there brother, you'e not alone.
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Terribly sorry to hear of your loss, but as you say, her weakness is gone and she is made anew.
You and your family have my sincerest condolences and will be in my prayers.
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Thanks, all.
Her mortal remains were buried Wednesday morning at 10:30.
She had outlived all her friends and over the past several years, her struggle with Alzheimer's removed her from any sort of social life, so attendance was just family and not really much of that. My sister's husband and their son were rafting through the Grand Canyon when Mom died--they don't know yet that she is gone. I have been stuck in bed and couldn't get there. Bunny needed to stay here with me as my caregiver. So, attendance was sparse. Sis managed some photos and provided an excellent first-person report for which I willbe forever grateful.
I am quite worried about my Dad, though. He has visited Mom every single day since she was first admitted to the nursing home. From 3 to 4, he would sit beside her, holding her hand. Now, that duty is forever completed. Without this simple action providing motivation to go on, I fear his time will soon come. I pray he manages to hang in there until I am back on my feet.
Anyway, thanks to each of you for your caring and prayerful support. It appears that this chapter is finally closed.
Crusader Rabbit
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My sincere heartfelt condolences CR, my Mother passed in 2005, my Father passed away in 2012. Far too young, both of them.
Your Mother lived a long life on this Earth, and as posted, she starts anew in the Kingdom of Heaven. She will always be with you and your family. Her spirit will always be an inner voice of comfort and guidance.
My prayers to you CR.
God Bless.
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Crusader how are you and your dad doing?
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Crusader how are you and your dad doing?
My surgical recovery has been nothing short of spectacular. I was released from medical supervision a couple of weeks ago and given permission to drive, eat, and even to go to the gym--no weights, but I get to spend some time on the treadmill. First day, I made a solid ten minutes and thought I'd need help getting to the car. This past Friday I did a full 60 minutes plus a two minute cool down and covered 3.3 miles and some significant elevation, all the while keeping my heart rate under 130. Plus, I made it to the car without help!
Dad seems to be taking care of business. That Mom was in the care facility for nearly 3 years gave him a good dose of living alone and keeping everything in some semblance of balance. Since Mom passed, he has managed to get the paperwork all sorted out with SocSec, and he ordered the marker for her grave, and he has tended to the other piddly stuff that needed to have Mom's name removed like wills, bank accounts, deeds, etc. So, all of that is good.
What isn't good is that Dad has been sort of uncommunicative. I am used to getting regular emails from him and always got responses to things I'd send, but that has diminished. Sis is there, regularly, and she tells me he seems to be doing okay. Sis and her hubby are taking a vacation starting around the 20th of August and I will head out to Arizona around the 10th or 12th so I can spend a few days with my sister and get some direct observation of what's going on with Dad. Then, I plan to spend a couple of weeks with my Pappy and see if I can fatten him up a little bit with some Southern cooking. He's been living on frozen entrees and one dinner a week at the Greek place with another at Outback. He's getting some tasty stuff, but I think I can do better for him.
Anyway, I should have more information in late August. I'll let you know when I do. meantime, thanks for the prayers and for all the supportive thoughts sent my way. With my paucity of vocabulary I am not able to explain to you how very much they mean to me and how much I value each and every one of you.
Thanks, all,
Crusader Rabbit