Saying goodbye

Mom's message on Facebook early Saturday: "GM very bad - headed to Newberg".

It was race weekend, and we planned to head to Lincoln City for a day of relaxing at the coast. Change of plans. After getting a few things done, we also headed to Newberg.

(When I was a child, I had two grandmothers and three great grandmothers. Each had her own name, and Grandma McKee was "Grandma") 

For the past while, Grandma has lived in the Friendsview Retirement Community health center, where she was getting round-the-clock care for her rapidly aging body and mind. She's been on hospice care for the past few months as her body was slowly shutting down. After a hard night Friday, it was obvious that it was time.

Throughout Saturday, Mom, Dad, Uncle Dave, Aunt Pat, Eryn, cousins Mike, Kris, Amy, Meghan and Jon, Uncle John and Aunt Nancy all arrived and were able to visit with family and say goodbye. It was so great to have the family gathered together.

Brad and I decided to go ahead and run the race Sunday, but before we left Newberg Saturday evening, I was able to spend a few minutes alone with Grandma. She seemed very comfortable and at peace.

She died a few hours after we left. She was 92.

My heart breaks most for Grandpa. Seventy years of marriage. Wow.

Dad snapped these precious photos last week of Grandma and Grandpa together:

If you're the praying type, please remember my family right now. Even when death is expected, it's still very hard. Please pray especially for Grandpa and my dad and aunts and uncle as they adjust to this loss.

Betty McKee  

Sept. 10, 1921 ~ March 1, 2014