Here is a brief synopsis for anyone who might not yet know. My mother was taken by ambulance to the hospital Monday morning December 13, for heart issues (and her variety of other medical challenges). She was admitted that evening. Two days later, at three in the morning, Donna got a call from the EMTs that her mother was in route to the hospital. With her dementia, Berneice thought her sister was coming to pick her up to go up north, and simply took her walker, and left the building at Independence Village to wait (which would have locked her out of the building). It was not until a woman delivering newspapers to the facility around 3:00 a.m. saw her fall outside that anyone knew she was there, and an ambulance was called. Both moms ended up on the fourth floor of Sparrow Hospital (heart wing) until Friday. They were in rooms on each end of the same hallway. My mom died in the hospital at about 4:10 p.m. on the 17th (one month from her 90th birthday on November 17th). Berneice was taken to the Stoneleigh Residence (Hospice of Lansing) that same day at about the same time. Berneice died at Stoneleigh last night around 10:30 p.m. at age 94. Her birthday was November 20th.  

Donna just returned from the funeral home. The details for Berneice are visitations will be Sunday from 2:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. at Mills (Peters & Murray) Funeral Home here in Grand Ledge, and Monday at 10:00 a.m. at the Grand Ledge Baptist Church. The funeral will follow at 11:00 a.m. (Grand Ledge Baptist Church). There will be no graveside service since city employees have that day off as part of their holiday weekend. 

My mother has been cremated, and we are holding her ashes until late spring, or early summer. The lot she owned behind the Center, and our house, will be turned into Joyce Park (Joyce Marguerite Gibbons Memorial Park). A small memorial garden will be created in the park, and once it is ready for her ashes, we will have a celebration of life memorial service there. We have already submitted the incorporation papers for a non-profit called the Friends of Joyce Park.   

It has been a long few weeks, so I am stopping with just these basics. Anyone wishing more details, or further information, please feel free to contact us.   

God’s peace,

william
Acts 5:29

P.S. Although I have pretty much left the email business, I still do respond to them. However, now that I have left Comcast, I will typically only be checking emails on Thursdays when I upload my Picture of the Week to my website. Donna has a smart phone, and can do texting (along with calls). I still use a flip phone. I can receive texts, but it is too difficult to reply to them using a flip phone. Feel free to call. I pray this finds you each well, as Covid still hovers over the landscape of all our lives. 

Greetings

I just got a call from Bill who informed me that Donna's mom Berniece passed away this evening. She has been unresponsive for the past 3 days and our good Lord called her home tonight. Please keep Donna, Bill and Donna's family in your prayers for comfort and peace. 

Berniece had a pre-arranged funeral policy so a funeral will be held in the future but those details have not been worked out yet.  I will pass on future details when I know them.