Mom left us yesterday afternoon at about 3 p.m. She had taken a dramatic turn for the worse Monday. Her home care nurse advised hospitalization. Yesterday morning her doctor told us she had a matter of hours to live. She passed into the next life peacefully with her family at her side. I feel her absence deeply, of course, and it will probably get worse before it gets better. She was the kindest, gentlest soul I have known. She taught us a faith, a gentleness, and kindness that I pray we will never forget. All of her nurses said she was one of the kindest, sweetest patients they had dealt with.

Mom is in the arms of those who've gone before. She is no longer in pain, and she no longer has to fear the ravages of her diseases. The Lord was kind to her. He took her more quickly than we believed and shortened her pain and suffering on this Earth. I pray He will allow us to live the rest of our lives according to her example. No one could have had a better parent than she was.

I would like to thank Hospice of Midland for their kindness and care in her last days. That has to be a very emotionally difficult job. I don't believe I could perform it with my sanity intact. They treated Mom with kindness and with skill. I would also like to thank the ministers and members of her church family, St. Luke's United Methodist of Midland, Texas, for their kindness during her final years. Finally, but not least, thanks to Brother Bob Porterfield of West Kentucky Baptist Church of Midland who has blessed so many over the years with his words of comfort and his prayers. He has been there for as long as I can remember whenever some one is in hospital locally. His activities have stirred up a good deal of petty jealousy from some of the other local clergy who I suppose fear that he is trying to take people away from their churches. That has never been his intention. Brother Bob just wants to comfort everyone in need regardless of their church affiliation. Surely this is a man to whom the Lord will one day say, "Well done thou good and faithful servant."