I am very sad tonight my friends!

October 22, 2008

This afternoon my very dear cousin passed away at home in

Hospice from Kalispell MT as he had fast moving small cell lung

cancer for the past 1 1/2 years. He just kept fighting and fighting,

and I have been calling him every Sunday now for over a year. He

used to want me to make him laugh. There were 7 of us cousins, we

are all PA dutch pretty much and were raised for many years together

in SD on farms there. We have remained close over the years and

was the crazy one like me, we could have been twins I think.

We thought the same, and laughed the same and our sense of humors

were magnetic to each other.

His son Dave called me this evening at 6pm, our time, and said he was

with the Lord now. I had just spoken to 's brother Noel in

Bridgewter, SD this afternoon for about an hour. We really had a

good talk. had 5 children and believe it or not they all live

near him still in Kalispell MT. Very close family. 's son Dave

told me that the last 3 days at home that his Dad was in terrible

pain, and the cancer had spread everywhere, from an MRI last week.

Hospice set up a bed at their home and the hospice nurse has taken

care of cancer patients during their final days for 43 years now.

Dave said she has been great, very compassionate but told us like it

is. No fooling around. Just before passed, his son went over

to him and his Dad could not even speak, but muffled the words, " much

pain " . It broke Dave's heart. I wish I could give them all a hug.

I know when we lose one of " our best " in here and they are all " best "

that you feel so helpless and desolate. Alone. But knowing that

is now with the Lord and free of pain that he is loving every

minute of it. He used to work in the gold stake mines in Lead SD

where they make the black hills gold. Dr. thinks that could be the

reason now for the cancer. Who really knows. Doesn't matter anymore

about that anyway.

I will always have wonderful memories and no one can erase your

memories of your family, can they? It kind of gives me some

encouragement though of the Hospice organization as Dave told me

quite a few things about it. He was pleased.

I LOVE YOU THIS DAY !!

MARY LOU

IPF - 02

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