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Missing Mama Already....

My sweet mama passed away last night and although she will be missed GREATLY, I’m so happy her soul is finally free!! She has struggled a bit since my dad passed almost 8 years ago (they were 2 peas in a pod and inseparable during their 60 years of marriage!!), and her increasing dementia didn’t help (but she remained loving and kind throughout)!!


She was a sweet, kind mom who loved and cared for us deeply, ALWAYS wrapping us up in the warmth and support of her prayers!! Towards the end, she couldn’t always remember exactly who we were, but she remembered that I was her “traveling daughter” and she’d begin every phone conversation over the last few years with “where are you now?” She and dad instilled a love for the world in all of us, and she loved hearing about (and seeing pictures) of where my latest adventures had taken me!

She finally got her wish to “move up north” (a phrase she used in almost every conversation I had with her the last year or so - and because of her increasing dementia, we didn’t know if she meant back to Spokane or waaay up north to heaven?!?)!! My sweet sister, Sheryl decided to take her to her home a few weeks ago (not knowing she would pass so soon), and I think mom settled in and felt completely surrounded by my sister’s love and care until it was her time for her final trip “up north!”

She had a few mini-strokes starting last Saturday, and it became clear that her time to leave would be coming soon. I was sad I couldn’t travel to be with her (still on quarantine from being in Europe), but I got a chance to say goodbye to her on video chat when she was still semi-conscious (but couldn’t speak). Although I wasn’t able to be with her in person, I was here with Carol and not off somewhere alone (thanks to this darn pandemic)!!

Janelle drove up to be with mom and Sheryl (who had kept mom in isolation trying to stay away from the Coronavirus), and we 4 girls tried to sing using video chat (but it didn’t work that well due to lag time.... but mom seemed to appreciate “being with her girls” all together (and it was meaningful to all of us and reminded us of our childhood when we would be practicing and get the giggles and mom would say, “ you girls need to straighten up” until she got the giggles with us)!!



We love you mama.... SOOOO MUCH, and we will miss your sweet presence in our lives!! I hope you are enjoying dad’s companionship once again, and you will live forever in our hearts!! Thank you for being such a good mom/grandma to all of us, and a good friend to so many who loved you deeply!!

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