To All,
Clarissa, the love of my life, passed away tonight at 9:45 PM, December 19th, 2002.
Love
Ed
Ed,
We are so sorry for your loss. Words are not enough but know in your heart that the tears running down my face are heartfelt.
We will continue to pray for you.
Love,
Claire
Ed,
My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
Love and Comfort,
Tracy (Dale) Robinson
EC is and always will be my hero. I told Ed this morning on the phone but I just want to let everyone else know how I feel about her.
Love
Jane
I agree, Jane!
I doubt that I'd fight as hard as she did. Plus, I KNOW what a kindhearted person she IS.
Love,
Ele
Ed... Wrap your arms around your chest and squeeze really hard. This is a hug from me. I am so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my prayers.
Love,
Joanne
Ed:
Words can not express how I feel after learning about Clarissa's passing. You are to be commended for your unending love, support and dedication you showed her by being there for her. You made it your life's work in her time of need. Truly that is pure love. It is sad that it happened during this holiday season because for a long time to come this is what you will remember at Christmas. I know that she always knew how lucky she was to have you by her side during her terrible ordeal that also became her life for so long a time. Right now you feel like a dagger has been thrust into your gut. Eventually that dagger will be removed and later on the healing will begin. They say that Grief is like going through a long tunnel. First you have to go into the darkness before you can come out into the sunshine at the other end. There is no short cuts to this. You can't get healed by pretending nothing ever happened. Everyone expects you to be pissed off and angry, so be pissed off and angry. You have every right to be. Because you know that you did everything humanly possible to attend to her every comfort and need you should have no feelings of guilt saying, If only I had done this or if only I had done that. Ed you did it all. She fought a good fight right up to the end and is resting peacefully with God now.
Jim, Ginny and Matthew Preston
Ed,
Elsy, Melanie and I are very sorry to hear about EC's passing. In the past 8 years, Elsy and I have lost 6 people that have meant alot to us. I know you've already heard this from others in the family, but you must take heart in the knowledge that her suffering is over and she is in a much better place watching over you.
BTW...every once in awhile, you may feel a tingle or a slight breeze when you're sitting inside a house and you can think of no reason for it, like a window being open or something like that. I feel it from time to time and I like to believe it is one of the loved ones we've lost letting us know they are still watching out for us.
Dave
Ed,
We are so sorry to hear of Clarissa's passing. You are in our thoughts and prayers. I wish there was something I could say, to help ease your pain.
Love,
Ann, Tom and family
Ed,
We are sorry to hear of your loss. Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.
John Bade
Thanks, Jim.
You expressed my thoughts and feelings to Ed much more eloquently and succinctly than I feel able to do today. (Sigh.)
Ditto, Ed. I'll see you on Friday, if all goes according to plans.
Love,
Ele
Ed,
I'm so sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you.
Love,
Kathy (Zaro) Milligan
My thoughts of EC start from 1979 I think is was when Ed and EC met. You always knew where you stood with her, she pulled no punches. If (when) we didn't see eye to eye, there would be a huge arguement with her and me, and Ed would just throw up his hands and let us go. By the end of the night , EC would give me a hug and things were fine again. A few years ago, I was back in town, I think it was October , Ed told me that the doctors did not expect her to make it to Thanksgiving. Ed asked me to visit with her to say goodbye. When I visited her, she was in bed resting. I started talking about old times when she stopped me and said "Bob, I'm not going anywhere despite what they say! When I'm ready to go, I'll go". I remember one of the family reunions, Playing softball, and Tommy you probably remember this as you were our third baseman. My Dad was the manager of our team and Harry Raudenbush was the manager of the other team. There were not enough gloves to go around, and EC was playing center field. A high pop-up was hit in her direction and she caught it bare handed. I can still hear the sound it made as it hit her hands. This is hard on my kids as well, especially Emily, who just lost a friend to a car accident who was to be a bridesmaid in her wedding next June. EC called her "Emmie". If you know Emily, nobody else could get away with that.
I don't want to ramble but in a family of seven kids, I have one brother who I love dearly. I am so far away and I wish I was there with him to comfort him. I want to thank everyone for being there for my Brother. Dee is the "rock " of our family, I don't know how she does it but she is always there. John, you ARE Santa, and I am proud that my youngest son has the same name. Jim, you make us laugh and keep us grounded. I'm coming back east on the 29th, (Dee, I may need a ride from the airport) and I hope to see as many of you as I can. John, I'm going to try to come up there so I'll call you when I'm in town. Anyway, had it not been for this e-mail that Ed set up at aunt Gladdy's funeral, we would all be scattered, and would not feel these group hugs.
I love you all, Merry Christmas
Bob(by)
Bob, you have said it all so well. Being so far away for so many years, makes me appreciate what Ed started at my Mother's funeral. I appreciate the words of wisdom that Jim shares, the kindness that John and Nancy have given, for Dee being there in my place when I couldn't help my sister, and for my sister, who has taken on the great responsibility of taking care or our parents while raising a family. If I have missed thanking anyone it's only because I am crying and can't see through the tears.
Merry Christmas to all of you.
Love,
Claire