Thanks and Love to All

I can't tell you how much your messages have helped me get through this week. Thank you for caring.


The memorial service on Wednesday was lovely, with family and friends sharing their memories of Dad and made quite personal when Pastor Don projected some of my brothers gorgeous photographs, with scripture passages, on the screen at the front of the church.

It was wonderful to have so many of the various branches of our large family together, I just wish there had been more time to visit. My Dad's only surviving sibling, Uncle Johnnie was able to come from Oxnard, California with one of his twin daughters, Suze. Suze and I hadn't seen each other since we were kids at least 45 years ago, yet it seemed like we had never been apart.

Since my mother is not able to live alone, and my brother, Steve, has to get back to Reno in a few days, we were fortunate in finding a vacancy in an assisted care home in Canon City, where Joe and I can be close to her. Mother looked at 4 studio apartments today, and picked the one she liked the best. We will be moving her and her basic furniture, clothing, and household items on Sunday. Later we can add items that she wants and has room for. Friendship House (formerly the Oddfellows Home) is in the Colorado Oddfellows complex of 2 independant living
apartment buildings ( one of which I managed until 10 years ago), 2 assisted living buildings, and a nursing home (where Joe's father ended his years) near the St. Thomas More Hospital (the Oddfellows donated the land for the hospital). There is a lovely park with old trees and flower gardens in front of Friendship House and a small chapel where weddings and funerals are held.


We were impressed with how clean and bright the building is, and the staff seem very loving toward their residents. We met several of the ladies that live in the building who told us how much they enjoyed being there and told Mom how happy she would be. One of the couples in the building are the parents of a long time friend, and are delightful people.

My mother is handling all this amazingly well. She is a strong woman of faith. She and Dad would have been married 70 years on January 25.


The photos were taken at the dinner that the Fowler First Christian Church women prepared for the family:


Aunt Lucy (from Albuquerque, the widow of Dad's youngest brother, Aunt Angie and Uncle Johnnie (from Oxnard, California, Uncle Johnnie is Dad's last surviving sibling from four boys and two girls), Mom across the table, brother Steve in the background.


My oldest grandchild Lindsay, Derek, and their little Sean, our third great grandchild born in late August.


Friendship House



Putting together this blog has been a challenge; when we got home from the hospital on Sunday, we discovered that our big, beautiful computer monitor had had a mortal ailment of some type. Luckily, Joe still had the old 14 inch monitor with the old computer in his room and was able to hook it up, but it is so small and dim that I have a bit of a problem seeing well with it. Funny, when we first bought it, many years ago, we thought it was great.