Death again.

My great Uncle Jack Mckell of Spanish Fork, Utah was laid to rest on March 21, 2009. It was a beautiful day and family and friends were in attendance. Aunt Carma Van Wagoner was there from Salt Lake City, my brother Alan Rasmussen, and Jack's children John and Elaine. After the services we stopped by to visit aunt Margaret in the assisted living center.
Alan, Carma and Sharon


Alan, John, Sharon, and John's wife Jeanette

Saying Goodbye.........

There were tons of beautiful flowers and lots of visitors and lots of tears as we said goodbye to our loved one, Gayle. She will be missed by everyone.
We will see you again............

Gayle's 58th Birthday

The day before Gayle's birthday, the therapy dogs from the hospital came for a comfort visit. The dogs belong to the Beagley's. They go to hospitals and care centers for comfort therapy for the sick. The dogs are huge! They are Newfoundlands, names Jet and Jaro. Gayle knew the owners and the dogs, as they came to the hospital to visit when Gayle had been at work. Gayle continued to work just a few weeks before she became really ill, and her last day at work the dogs had paid a visit to the patients there. Gayle really enjoyed the dog visit. The next day for her birthday she had a steady stream of visits from the neighbors, family, friends, and her co-workers at the hospital. She had a wonderful day. Things were getting harder to watch, as we all knew that her time was getting near. The next day, the family got together and planned out who was going to stay with Gayle through the night. Joel and I were the ones to stay on Friday, February 20th. We got up with her twice in the night, and the next morning she was gone around 8:10 a.m. What a sad day for us all.

February Updates/Cancer Sucks

I have not posted forever. A lot of things went on in the month of February. First of all Joel turned 60, with a surprise birthday bash at Jenny's house. Pat Wimmer and Jenny and all of the girls in the family made cheese cakes, birthday cake, cookies and punch. We had a wonderful dinner cooked by all, with Pua making the breaded pork chops for the main dish. It was wonderful!!!! Later that evening Joel's family and friends came over for a surprise visit. Dave, his brother flew in from Palm Springs for the weekend. His visit was bittersweet. He came to visit his sister Gayle, as she was in her final weeks of life from colon cancer. Joel, Gayle and I were planning on our annual "President's Day" weekend visiting Dave and Glen at their home in Palm Springs. Gayle was too sick to go, and in fact was too sick to come to Joel's party. She went downhill very fast. She had cousins visit from north Utah on Thursday, and by that night she was paralized on her right side. The cancer had spread to her brain, and she was now in bed with hospice care. We were all just devastated with the news and her rapid decline.
Kaye, Craig and Toni Bryson, Joel, Sharon Gayle and Karen Mortensen

We had a great visit that day, and the cousins were very glad that they were able to talk with Gayle before she got worse.

Joel's birthday was great, and many friends and relatives came to visit him with birthday wishes. Here are some of the visitors: