There are a number of things to state here, but fundamentally I want to express to everyone just how beautiful and graceful mom leaving Earth behind was.
At 7 PM on 12.31.10, while writing her obituary I had writer's block. It's a good thing b/c I went to sit beside Mom for inspiration. When I picked up her hand, it was much cooler than normal and I noticed her color had changed similar to the modeling we'd read about. I got Mark, called her parents, several other people she wanted to be present when she passed, and called Hospice since they committed to 24 x 7 care the remainder of the time. I honestly believed she had several hours. However most everyone arrived by 7:30 and at 7:36, she was gone.
Mom leaving was amazing. We had prayed a Hail Mary and Our Father and were there to say goodbye. She did not struggle and ultimately exhaled her last breathe without getting another. Shortly thereafter we popped a bottle of champagne and toasted her new life in honor of her and New Year's Eve. I described it as her last hosted party. So cool.
From there, a number of things happened. The thing I want to share which could not have been more perfect was her physically leaving her house the last time. Funeral home guys had shown up to pick her body up and being someone who has to see everything, I stepped outside to watch her body loaded into the minivan (white - just like hers). I had to laugh. The van which carried her body away had a KState license plate frame - just like the KState stickers on her own van! It could not have been more perfect and was as if she was driving her own van away.
I'll write another post soon which will have more of the information related to her funeral for those that were not able to attend, especially the Prayers for the Faithful and the letter Mark and I wrote for her funeral mass. A sneak preview is that it was an amazing 3 days and I only wish that I had video of it b/c we were all very emotional yet were told numerous times just how beautiful it was...just like she planned it.
1 comment:
A month later and I'm just now reading this post, a beautiful description of loving, living, and dieing.
We (the DeVore siblings) got the phone call within a few minutes of Cathi passing. Gathered with friends and most of the family around a table celebrating the end of another year, the tide changed to celebrating the end of a beautiful life (as we knew it). In turn, each of us shared a bit about Cathi, our love for her, and the beauty of family. Sadness and joy intermingled in tears of honest emotion and celebration of the human spirit.
We miss her dearly, but her life wasn't for naught. We still carry her spirit in us.
Post a Comment