Monday Chris and I went to the Logan, Utah, area to attend the funeral for Virgina Petersen, a dear friend. She succumbed to liver cancer of a very slow growing type, and her three year suffering is now over. Years ago Joyce Wakefield, also a Nebraska friend, got liver cancer and died within a few short months of her diagnosis. It was not to be for Ginny.
Recently, I attended a funeral of my niece, Linda (Francis) Stevens. She died of a similar type of cancer that was in her pancreas and liver. She had been sick for years, too, like Ginny. Perhaps her an Ginny are now acquainted. I think she is the first of the cousins to die.
Jason lived with the Petersens when we first moved to California. He was in Jim Petersen's scout troop, and they shortly went to Philmont Scout camp in New Mexico. Jason then came to California after the camp.
One thing many of you do not know is illustrative of the kind of people the Petersens are. We visited them last spring. In our conversations they asked us about Jason. We mention in the course of our conversation that he was in Iowa City. We told them that we had not been able to visit their home since the had moved there since we never had enough money to get there.
Within a couple of weeks with no fanfare there was a five hundred dollar check from the Petersens telling us to go see Jason and his family. This was after a very casual remark about not seeing them that was part of our conversation as we visited the Petersens.
One final thing. After a wonderful visit to Iowa, we arrived home with seven dollars in our pocket, and our hearts full of gratitude for the Clarks, and the Petersens.
Dad Clark
2 comments:
That's very altruistic of them to provide means for you to travel to wonderful (heaven) Iowa. Glad you can count them as friends. -Jess
What great people! That's the key. Giving with no thought of acknowledgement or praise. Just quiet, simple gifts are always the best.
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