KACS Radio Network

My mother is gone. She passed peacefully in her sleep mid-morning on Tuesday. It was the day we were supposed to help her move to her new Senior Assisted Living apartment. She had been excited about the new "home" and filled with all kinds of ideas and questions about decorating and furnishing. That was on Friday. She was cheerful, feeling good and happy....we got the call on Saturday evening that she'd suddenly gone rapidly down hill, and was taken to St. Petes in Olympia. She had a cascading failure of her remaining kidney, heart, lungs and other systems. We were allowed in to be with her Monday evening. We talked with her, looked at family pictures and videos, helped her video chat with a couple people. She talked about the beautiful view out her window of the forest and Mt. Rainier. "I go to bed and wake up every day with the sunshine over the forest, and that beautiful mountain. God is good." She wanted to make sure all the cards and letters she'd already written would be sent. We assured her they would be. Late that night she struggled to announce, "Okay, I'm tired now, I need to sleep. I love you." We assured her we loved her too and tucked her in, hugged and kissed her and said "good night, see you tomorrow." A few hours later we were called back to the hospital. A kind nurse had stayed with her all night, holding her hand, talking with her, comforting her "though she only opened her eyes twice, and only briefly. She didn't say anything, and wasn't in pain." Mom's breathing was slowing. She slept on. My wife held her hand on one side of the bed, I on the other. We talked to her. Watched the morning fog clear over the forest revealing that view of Mt. Rainier she loved. Her breath slowed more and she slept on. Mom never woke up. at 11:26 she drew one more shallow breath...her heart stopped...and she was gone. "I look to the hills; where does my help come from? My help comes from the Lord, maker of heaven and earth." Sleep well, Mom. We'll see you when you hear the wake-up call. 1 Thess. 4:13-18  -- Cameron Beierle Sr., KACS General Manager