My dear sweet man and I had a beautiful love and marriage for more than 20 years and raised five children. About seven years ago he was stricken with Parkinson’s disease. Before too long I was bathing, feeding, and shaving him and considered it an honor to do this for my sweet man. After taking care of his needs for more than three years it became impossible for me to pick him up when he continued to fall, sometimes three times a day. I had no choice but to admit him to a nursing home. For the next year I was there every day fighting for his rights, feeding him his main meal and doing whatever I could to show him how much I loved him.

In early December he was put in a hospice and I was there every day with him just telling him all the fun we had from dating days on. For his last week I talked almost non-stop. Every sentence started with remember when? Of course he was not eating and his eyes were closed but I know he could hear me. On December 16th, Al passed into God’s open arms and I know he is in a better place free of pain. We had a memorial gathering where five of his neighbors, family, and friends spoke about this dynamite man, and there was not a dry eye in the room. You could so feel the love…he was just 65.