Passages

Chuck's Dad passed away late this morning, just before noon, Washington time. Milton was 94. His passing was peaceful and there was a wonderful, unusual twist just before the end.

We had just spoken with Chuck’s sister Carol last night. She had let us know that she felt it would be a matter of days; no more than a few weeks. Early this morning N. who along with his wife B. take care of Dad in the Adult Family Home they run, had checked on Dad and found he was sleeping and breathing deeply. A little while later N. went in to check on Dad again and he had passed. N. called Chuck's sister Carol and she left immediately to go over there. Along the way, she called Chuck to tell us that Dad had died.

After that call from Carol this morning, we called my Mom to tell her Chuck’s Dad had passed. Unbeknownst to us, while we were on the phone with Mom, Carol had tried to reach us. A few minutes after we hung up from Mom, Carol called again. Dad was still alive, still breathing. Carol was in Dad's room with him.  She took the phone and held it up to Dad's ear so that Chuck could talk to his Dad one last time. It was an amazing gift; a little miracle.

Carol then called her husband Mark.  He picked up their son Andrew at school and they went over to be with Carol and Dad. The hospice nurse also arrived. Carol sat holding Dad's hand.  N., B., Mark, Andrew and the hospice nurse were all reminiscing about Dad as well as Mom. They were looking at the photos on the walls and on the dresser of Mom and Dad along with many other family pictures. Then Dad took his last breath.

Because Carol’s daughter Emily is studying abroad in Italy until the middle of March, we will likely wait until then to have a service out in Seattle.