Today, we’ve been going back and forth between the assisted living facility where Ann has been for the past few months, and Kevin’s parents’ condo, where we’re staying. First trip this morning was just to assess and sort out what was there. Second trip, Anand and I packed up her clothes and brought them back here.
Third trip, we collected all of her photos and artwork, along with masses of paperwork, that Kevin is now sorting. Ann tried really hard to get everything sorted in the last few months, to make it as easy as possible for her children, but there’s just so much paper…it’ll take Kev a little while to be sure he has everything important in the right place.
This photo of her wedding day was propped up at the foot of her bed. Ann and Ron had a strong and loving marriage. Ann might occasionally speak a little sharply when she was really frustrated, but it was always because she was trying to do her best for her family and community, to make sure everyone around her was taken care of. Ron understood. Kevin is patient with me in the same way. They set a sterling example for us, of what a marriage could be.
When we lost Ron, last year, it was so hard for Ann. She was diagnosed a few months later with cancer, and she tried to fight it; she tried chemo, even though it scared her. I think she mostly tried it for us. But the chemo wasn’t effective. And she missed him so much.
Ann held on until her 80th birthday yesterday, when we could be there, and she could see all of her grandchildren. She was so happy to see Kavi and Anand when they arrived. But Ann had very little energy after that moment; we stayed and talked with her for a while, but she was falling asleep while we talked.
She’d wanted us all to go have a birthday dinner together, and take a family picture for her, so we did. And then sometime in the night, she passed.
She was a lovely bride, and she adored him.
