November 2021

It has been 24 years since November 16, 1997 that you went to Heaven.  How can that BE?!  The same month as Mom, only 16 years and 6 days apart.   

You were born on a tenant farm, the youngest of 7 children.  You grew up through the Depression in very hard times, and I am guessing that is when you developed your incredible work ethic that was one of your lifelong traits.  You did not get to go to high school which was a lifelong disappointment for you.

At the age of 19, you were drafted and you chose to join the Marines.  You served in the Pacific, fighting hard fought battles in faraway places like Okinawa, Pelilieu, Guadalcanal. At one point, you almost died from typhus. (Could that have been one reason you had a weakened immune system the rest of your life?) After the war ended, you were sent to China for the occupation of Manchuria.

You had started to write to Mom from overseas when you thought you were going to make it.  When you got back, you were engaged and married Mom on Valentine’s Day.  You also had gotten a job with Ma Bell where you worked for 39 years!  (In those days, people stayed with their jobs for a lifetime).

First I came along, then Richard in quick succession, both of us born when you were 26 years old!  You loved being a Dad your whole life.  You were stern at first, but you grew with us, always there for us in times of joy and times of trouble.  You also loved being a husband too, and you and Mom grew closer and closer together through life.

You always had a second job either painting houses or later in life, flipping them.  You taught yourself plumbing, electricity, and carpentry.  You built a hi-low camping trailer we traveled in!  To me, you were AMAZING, and I was always so proud of you!.

Some of  your happiest times were the last 12 years of your life in retirement when Mom and you traveled all over the US and came to Arizona  to winter over 6 years. We got to see each other every other weekend, and our best trip ever was when Mom, you, and I went to Sedona and the Grand Canyon for your 70th birthday. Magical!  

You struggled with various illnesses throughout your life. But the last 8 months of your life were HECK, filled with one illness after another.  Finally, you struggled with two different kinds of cancer, the last one terminal.  We thought you had 6 months to a year to live, but it was only 6 weeks😪

I had to fly home suddenly on Saturday 11/15 after you had been transferred to a hospital 70 miles from our hometown.  You were SO SICK, temp 105, filled with tubes, shaking.  

You had found Jesus when you were in your 30’s and he was your main man. In our short time together, our last conversation was:  

“Dad, are you afraid?” Dad:  “No!”  “Dad, are you praying?!”  Dad:  “Yes!”  “Dad, is Jesus with you?” Dad:  “Yes, Jesus is with me!”  Little did I know it would be our last time together!   

Mom and I were never allowed to see you again as you struggled so hard!  You died at 1:40 am when pulled off the vent.  (A long story too painful to share here).  

You had a WONDERFUL service with 250 attending, the 21 gun salute, and military honors.  You had requested the Vince Gill song, “Go Rest High on that Mountain” which we played (and which you can check out in this post!). 

You had helped Mom in the 70 mile drive home, sitting beside her in the car and guiding her every move!  You came to us from time to time through the years after you left the Earth plane.  My favorite was a time when I was sobbing as I missed you. Suddenly your face appeared across the entire spanse of AZ sky, your head thrown back, laughing, blue eyes dancing, letting me know you were ok!

Cannot wait to see you again Papa!

Your girl

Carolyn

Song, “ Go Rest High On That Mountain”, played at my father’s funeral. Click here to listen: https://youtu.be/6jXrmAKBBTU

Today it has been 8 years since you went to join Dad, rocking your way into Heaven in the rocking chairs he made on the porch of the log cabin he had built for you.

   I know you are happy because you have let me know in so many ways since you left the earth plane:

   When I was writing up the story of your life for your memorial service with trepidation because you always told me you would come back to haunt me if I changed anything you had already planned and written up!

But you came to me and told me, “I do not care what you do.  I am with Dad now and it is ok!”

    When I had my concussion on 5/3/20 and you were there the first time I awakened after passing out and hitting the porcelain tile floor, holding me and supporting me before I passed out again!  

   All the times I have felt your comforting presence in the long months of recovery after this, letting me know how happy you are, and that it is a joyous reunion that awaits us in Heaven!  

  And so here I am again, going through another round of vertigo when all I can do at times is rest, sleep, do exercises.  And here YOU ARE AGAIN, in my dreams all day, reliving scenes from our life:

   Putting aside your busyness and activities when Richard and I were little to sit on the floor with us, reading stories, teaching us songs from your Dad (The Midnight Ride of Paul Revere and a Can of Beer😳😛😁), and playing numerous games with us!

   Your determination in learning how to drive a stick shift at age 29!  How did you survive with Dad as your teacher?!😄😗😊

     How you patiently taught our family dog Beau after he went blind, how to go around furniture and to use the wall to go up and down stairs?!  (You had named him Beau Brummell!) 

    Your never-ending sense of love and responsibility as a wife, Mom, daughter, sister, a woman of faith?

      Your ability to balance a checkbook TO THE PENNY, even after dementia set in?

     Your coping with widowhood for 16 years and your own health decline, always adapting to every change that old age threw at you?!  

  Our last visit six days before you died, when I told you, as always, it was ok with Richard, Jan, and me, if you went to be with Dad, and you would tell me, “I am not ready to leave my kids yet.”  Except on this day when you simply murmured, “Ok.”

And when I asked if you were at peace, you joyously replied, “Oh yes!”  

I knew it would be the last time I would see you on this side as the tears silently slid down my cheeks.

  But I BELIEVE what you have reassured me, and joyously await for that time we will all be REUNITED!  

  LOVE YOU TO THE MOON AND BACK MAMA BEAR!

  Carolyn Elizabeth

Barbara Inez Stevenson

Barb age 21

Barb & Will

Barb & Carolyn

Barb & Richard

The Walters Family

Barb in a dress she made

Mom’s dogs: Beau Brummel and Sunshine (her granddog).

Dad & Mom’s log cabin and rocking chairs