Funeral Fund

We've gotten a few questions about where people can send donations to help with funeral costs so we wanted to let you know there is a fund set up at the funeral home.
Should you wish to make a donation, please forward to the Haven of Rest funeral home in Mom's name.

Haven of Rest Cemetery
8503 State Route 16 NW
Gig Harbor, WA (253) 851-9991‎

Thank you very much.

Funeral Services Details

The details for the services for Mom this coming Friday, April 18th are listed below. We hope all who wish to attend can be with us to celebrate Mom's life and be together as family/friends. Family members, please be sure to read and respond to the italicized section below.

We will have a display with pictures and memorabilia for all to experience before or after the services (and likely a video presentation before and after the memorial service and after the graveside service).

The following will be held at
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
in Gig Harbor, WA.
8002 Dorotich St, Gig Harbor, WA 98335
For a map/driving directions: click HERE

Open Casket Viewing: 10 - 11am

Memorial Service: Noon

Graveside Service: 1:30pm
Haven of Rest Cemetery
8503 State Route 16 NW, Gig Harbor, WA
(253) 851-9991‎
Directly off Highway 16 heading Westbound, just beyond the Gig Harbor City Center exit.
Maps will be available at the Memorial service.

After the graveside service a luncheon will be provided for family/relatives by Mom's ward/church family back at the church!

We need to get a head count of family members planning to attend any of the services and luncheon so the appropriate number of seats are saved and enough food is provided.
Please email or call Debbie Cook, deb_cook@hotmail.com 530-284-7200 by Tuesday and indicate:

*how many in your party, (even if it's tentative...we need an approximate idea)
*what services you will be attending
*if you will attend the late luncheon

If you can not make it we will miss you but totally understand!

Some Funeral Info

We are planning the funeral for this coming Friday. We don't have a time yet, but wanted to get the word out to those who would like to make plans to come. It will be here in Gig Harbor. Today has been filled with emotion. We are exhausted! Words just can't describe what losing your mom is like. We look forward to seeing and spending time with family and friends and know mom will be happy to see the family together. We will update you when we have more details.

One last kiss

It was over 25 years ago, when I first "met" Sandra on the telephone. A mutual friend offered her phone number with the intent of introducing me to someone really special. The following 3 three weeks gave me the unique opportunity to know her spirit first through many telephone conversations. What a beautiful spirit. I was so blessed and am a better person as a result. Last night before I retired for the evening, I joined Sandra Jean for one last kiss. This one of course was different and unlike any I will ever experience. What has taken place in these past days was simular to a conductor with his orchestra....an oh so beautiful piece of music building to a dramic creshendo. That did happen last night. I will miss her dearly....we will all miss her. What's exciting, is that she will continue to be with us....because this oh so special person had a dramatic impact on all of our lives. Her spirit will be with us always, isn't it amazing! I personally want to extend a heart felt thanks everyone that joined us over the last 6 - 8 weeks in making Sandie's last days comfortable. Between the actual hands on help and the calls of support, it could not have been done without you all. Thank you...thank you....thank you! I am, we are most appreciative. During these last weeks, many family and friends were able to stop by to see Sandie. She truly enjoyed the visits, which routinely involved sharing memories prompting much laughter. You can visualize the smile....can't you. What a sweet and special person. I will miss my bride...my companion....my little movie star. I know that God has blessed her with a front row seat in Heaven. Way to go Sweet Heart!

Mom's Passing - Friday, April 11, 2008

Mom passed shortly after 10 pm tonight. It's very bittersweet as we will miss her so much but the pain just got unbearable the past 24 hours and she's been fighting this for so long. She had shared with me a few weeks ago that she wanted to endure to the end well, whenever the Lord decided to take her, and she did just that.

Though we could see a gradual decline over the past few months the past couple days have been dramatic, especially the last 24 hours. It is such a relief that she is no longer uncomfortable and is out of pain. I'm so sorry for those who wanted a chance to be with her and it didn't work out. We had no idea a few days ago that it was coming this soon.

She's been at peace about going ever since her diagnosis and we just have to keep remembering that. Ovarian cancer is one of the worst cancers and we've really been blessed that we've had the past few years with her.

We will be meeting together as a family tomorrow when Michelle and Rhonda get here (Mark and Cory are here now) and we'll try and get the details figured out for the funeral services and get it posted. It will for sure be here in Gig Harbor and likely within the next week but we'll get out details as soon as we can.

We can't begin to thank you all for your thoughts, prayers, and support. We know we've lost our Mom, the kids have lost their Nana/Grandma and Ron's lost his wife but there are those of you who've lost your sister, aunt, or friend and our hearts go out to you too.

I wanted to get a note on here to update everyone. Mom has taken quite a dive. I don't have full details as I am not there with her right now, but my information comes from Renae. She had a really bad night kind of whimpering in pain. Renae and Ron tried to assist her and it was difficult to give her more pain medication. She is experiencing severe pain. They called the nurse last night and she said it sounded like it is near the end. They are switching her over to Hospice Care and getting her on an IV of pain medication to better regulate that. She hasn't been very coherent and sleeps most of the day due to the pain medication.
Renae told me that she told Mom I was trying to come earlier and my mom replied, "she better hurry".
This isn't pleasant news, but the reality of the situation. We knew this was going to happen eventually and it seems to be nearing that. We could lose her very soon. She could hang on another week or so, we just don't know.

Thank you to everyone for the love and support you have shown to us and mom. This has been such a difficult time for all of us and everyone has been so wonderful and amazing. We love you all!!!!

Michelle and Mom

Colby giving his Nana a farewell snuggle

I can't believe it's been over a week since our last update and we're starting to get calls about it :-) Sorry everyone! It's easy to get caught up in what's going on here and time just passes so quickly. We're grateful for your interest and concern and we'll try and do better.

We are also thankful for the help that we've received from help here around the house, with Mom, errands, bringing food, and most importantly the prayers and support. We have a remarkable family and wonderful friends.

As far as how Mom is doing, we can see from week to week how her condition gradually declines which is to be expected at this stage of her cancer. So that makes it hard when doing updates knowing that the reality is things are not going to get better. We continue to adjust her pain medication to keep her as comfortable as possible which means she's a bit groggier and sleeps a lot. She still cracks herself and us up at times with some of the things she'll say when she's in her "la la land." She has been getting weaker as well so it is getting more difficult to do everything but we're all doing the best we can. She says she just wants to endure to the end the best she can and she's doing it very well.

We were sad to see Michelle, Nate, and the boys leave this past weekend. They needed to get home and to their doctor for Michelle's check up and ultra-sound and we just found out today that she is having another boy! It was hard to see them go and Mom misses her daily "loves" from Colby and Carson.

We're still planning to get more pictures added to the slide show soon, it's just taken a back seat for now.

Love and good wishes to you all.