Diane's Passing

Diane surprised us all one Tuesday evening with a major hemorrhagic stroke. She had spent the day purchasing and wrapping Olivia’s birthday present. She found a frame from Liv’s Matilda poster that she had had the whole cast sign and wrapped it up. Liv was given this gift after Diane had passed and it made it all the more special knowing her Grandma had spent the last good day of her life preparing it for her. On the evening of Diane’s stroke, Steve and her went to the grocery store. When Diane got back in the car after shopping, she could not lift her arm very well. She told Steve and he could tell from her drooping face that she was having a stroke and took her straight to Timpanogos hospital. They called Derek and I and Derek sent me too meet them at the hospital. Upon arrival, I could tell this was not a good stroke, soon after me Stephanie arrived. Diane was slurring her speech, but still talking when we were there. She told Steph how worried she had been about her traveling back home from Hawaii recently. She thanked me so much for coming. Both Steve and Stephanie seemed somewhat in shock as the ER docs quickly got their Mom intubated and ready for transfer to Utah Valley Hospital. Diane deteriorated over the next few days and got less and less responsive. It looked bleak. Steph spent several nights at the hospital with her Mom. I spent one night to give her a break. All the siblings met together on a Sunday morning and unanimously decided it was time to take their Mom off all the tubes because that’s what she would have wanted. She passed very peacefully and within an hour of removing the tubes. Then, funeral arrangements were made. Derek and Steph collaborated together to write the obituary. I would occasionally chime in with things they had to put in there. It turned out great. 

 So many friends and family attended both the viewing and the funeral. I burst into tears when we saw Jared Morris surprise us and walk in the door. He flew in all the way from Illinois without telling us for the service. Derek had several of his buddies there to support him that day. 

 Derek gave the family prayer before the service and did a wonderful job. 

 I gave the opening prayer a task that was incredibly hard to hold it together for. Derek and Steph both spoke at the funeral and so did Tanner. It was such a lovely service filled with all the best stories from Diane’s life. Olivia sang two beautiful numbers picked by Grandpa: Somewhere Over the Rainbow and L-O-V-E. Alison Stoddard accompanied her. They had her sit on the stand in the front of everyone. I was amazed at her ability to hold her emotions in check and perform without any difficulty. Although after she was done, she came back down and sat with me on the bench and cried a few tears while Steph spoke. Jon gave the closing prayer. After the funeral we went to the gravesite with a smaller group. Blake did a fabulous job dedicating the grave. 

Then back to the church for the luncheon. We miss Diane often especially when we attend events we know she would normally be at and have loved, but have found renewed peace this year in the promises of eternal families and the knowledge that we will see her again one day.