Dear Friends

Many of you probably don't know me very well, but I need to tell this story. My mother died 2 years ago from a brain infection. At the time my father wasn't in very good health. In 1995 he had a kidney transplant, and a few years ago he had a knee replacement. He also had some heart problems. We, (my 4 siblings & I) never expected mom to died before dad because she was in good health. But she lived less than 2 months after she was diagnoised. Since mom has been gone, dad has died a little each day. He was in the nursing home for about the last 6 months waiting for the time he could join mom again. Dad died this morning, Friday, at 2:20 am. I was able to be with him. He was in no pain at the time and died very peacefully in his sleep. He is now with the love of his life. They were married 57 years and had barely spent a night apart. Dad owned a business and mom worked with him doing the bookwork. In 1990, dad started dialaysis, and sold his business to my brother, but mom and dad continued to help out at the shop doing the bookwork and answering phones, etc. After he received his transplant in 1995, they were able to travel again and loved to go to Branson and to Illionis to visit relatives. I can honestly say I never saw them have a fight. We always said mom was the "activity director" in the family. Dad loved to do whatever mom loved to do. They spent many hours in the flower garden, something dad was very proud of. Today is St. Joseph's Day. St Joseph is the patron saint of happy deaths, and my folks grew up & got married in a small town where the church was named in honor of St Joseph. So it was appropate that dad was able to go home to mom today. I will miss him so much because he lived with me after mom died, and after going to the nursing home, I would visit him every day. He was a very loving and caring person, and I will be forever changed by having such loving and caring parents. Thank you for listening and God bless each of you. Please tell everyone you love, how much you do love them while you have the opportunity to do so. My love to you, Patty