Friday, November 13, 2009

Rest in Peace Dear Brother - November 13, 2009

My dear brother passed away peacefully today, after a one year courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.  I was fortunate enough to have been able to spend much of the last seven months with him, and my dear sister-in-law. I was even lucky enough to be with him when he took his final breath this morning.

My brother, was (11) years older than me. He was the most amazing, loving, caring individual. He loved his home and his family, and preferred the simple things in life. He will be sadly missed by his wife, daughter, and me, his only surviving sibling, as well as his niece, nephews and many friends. His funeral will be on Tuesday, so I will not be posting or able to comment on your blogs for several days. This is truly a sad time for us all.



The Broken Chain
We little knew this morning,
God was going to call your name.
In life we loved you dearly,
In death, we do the same.

It broke our hearts to lose you.
You did not go alone.
For part of us went with you,
The day God called you home.

You left us beautiful memories,
Your love is still our guide.
And although we cannot see you,
You are always at our side.

Our family chain is broken,
And nothing seems the same,
But as God calls us one by one,
The chain will link again.

Anon


81 comments:

  1. Diane, my heart goes out for you. I pray for you and his family. May God give you all, the strength to bear the loss.

    W can fight anything, anyone but we don't have any say over death.

    May his soul reast in peace.

    My hugs for you...

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  2. I am so sorry to hear about your brother. May you and your family find peace during this difficult time.

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  3. I'm so sorry for your loss, Diane, but I'm so glad you could be there.

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  4. Oh, Diane - I am so very, very sorry for your loss. You and your family will be in my prayers.

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  5. How very sad. I am so sorry for your loss.

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  6. You are in our thoughts! I am so glad that you managed to spend a lot of time with your brother during his illness and especially at the end. Nothing anyone says will make this easier, but know that your blogging friends are thinking of you.

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  7. So sorry for your loss. Praying for you and your family during this time.

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  8. I am so sorry. That is why I support the Jimmy Fund and the American Cancer Society. Some day we won't have to lose loved ones to that disease any more. I'm just sorry that day didn't come sooner for you and your family. Be strong.

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  9. I am so very sorry to hear about the loss of your brother. My thoughts and prayers are absolutely with you during this extremely rough time for your family. {{hugs}}

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  10. I'm so sorry for your loss Diane. My thoughts are with you and your family as you mourn the loss of your brother.

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  11. I am very sorry for your loss-even though we are just fellow book bloggers I am saddened by the passing of your brother

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  12. I am so sorry to hear about this Diane! My condolences in this difficult time. Take care.

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  13. He was fortunate to have had you too. My deepest sympathy to you and your family!

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  14. Diane, I am so sorry. You will be in my thoughts and prayers.

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  15. I am so sorry! Thoughts and prayers going out for you and your family during this difficult time.

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  16. I am so sorry for your loss. Take care of yourself and don't worry about us. We'll be here when you're ready.

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  17. I am so sorry to hear of your loss.

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  18. I'm so sorry for your loss. (((hugs)))

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  19. My deepest sympathies, Diane. I am sorry for your and your family's tragic loss.

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  20. So sorry for your loss, Diane. I'll be praying for you and your family.

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  21. I'm so terribly sorry for your loss. I will be praying for you and for your family; take care of yourselves.

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  22. Oh, I am so sorry to hear about your loss!

    There is nothing like the loss of a sibling, even one who is somewhat older.

    Your memories will carry you for awhile in this time of sadness.

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  23. I am thinking of you today. God bless.

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  24. My sincere condolences, Diane.

    The good news is, you'll see him again.

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  25. Diane,
    My heart is breaking today with yours and please know that someone is thinking of you, your brother, and your extended family. Words can not express my deepest sympathy to you. Your brother sounds like a wonderful man and may he rest without pain.

    Many hugs and prayers,
    Staci

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  26. I am so sorry to hear about your brother. My thoughts are with you and your family during these difficult times.

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  27. Oh, Diane, I am so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. Please take care.

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  28. I'm so sorry for you and your family. My prayers are with you during this difficult time.

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  29. I'm so sorry, Diane. My thoughts are with you and your family.

    Lezlie

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  30. Diane, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your brother. I will be praying for your family...

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  31. I am so sorry for the loss of your beloved brother. May you and your family be surrounded by caring individuals during this difficult time.

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  32. I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your brother. My sister died last year after a brief struggle against lung cancer, so I understand the pain and grief of losing your brother. My thoughts are with you and your family at this sad time.

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  33. Diane, I am so very sorry for your loss. Heartfelt prayers for all of you. May you one day be able to remember your brother with more laughter and smiles than the tears and grief that fill you today.

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  34. I am so sorry to hear about your loss. My thoughts are with you and your family.

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  35. Diane, I am so very sorry. I am thankful, for both your sakes, that you spent so much time together during the last 7 months. What a gift!

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  36. I am so sorry for your loss. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

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  37. Diane, I'm so sorry for your loss. How fortunate that you were able to spend so much time with your brother in his final months. My prayers will be with you.

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  38. Diane, I am so sorry for your loss, and will keep you and your family in my prayers.

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  39. Diane, my condolences go out to you and the rest of your family. I'm very sorry to hear about you loss.

    You and your family are included in my prayers.

    Hang in there. Take care.

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  40. Diane - My deepest sympathy. You and your family will be in my prayers. God bless you all.

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  41. So sorry to hear about your loss. You and you family are in my thoughts and prayers.

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  42. My prayers and thoughts are with you, Diane, and your family.

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  43. That was a beautiful tribute to your brother. I imagine you find great peace in your decision to move closer to him so you could be with him more often. I think it is true when they say you are you can't regret what you've done, only what you didn't do. You are the epitome of one who is living with no regrets. I am so glad to know you as a loving person with great strength. May he rest in peace.
    With much sadness and love,
    Maudeen

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  44. I'm so sorry for your loss, Diane :( You and yours will be in my thoughts.

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  45. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother. My thoughts are with you and your family at this sad time.

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  46. Very sorry to hear about your brother's death. Hang in there. Sending warm thoughts across the ocean to you and your family.

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  47. My condolences to you and your family. My hopes and good wishes go out to you.

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  48. Diane, My heart goes out to you. I am so sorry to hear this. May he have peace in heaven and my prayers and with you and your family.

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  49. May your fondest memories of treasured times together with your brother bring a smile; comforting you during sad and trying times.

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  50. I am so sorry to hear of your brother's passing. You and your family are in my prayers.

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  51. I am so sorry for your loss, Diane.
    Please know that many others are thinking of you and your family at this time. Hugs to you.

    We need to find more treatments and cures for pancreatic cancer: http://www.pancan.org/

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  52. Diane, I am so sorry to hear about your loss. I will be thinking of you and your family.

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  53. I'm so sorry about your brother, Diane. How wonderful that you were able to spend time with him, especially during his last moments. I'm sure he was comforted by having love all around him.

    We're all thinking of you here in the book blogging world.

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  54. Dear Diane - I'm so very sorry to hear this. Sending you hugs and prayers for you and your family.

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  55. I am so sorry to hear about your brother, Diane. My heart go out to you and his family. Will keep you in my prayers.

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  56. My sincerest sympathies for your loss. I hope you can take comfort in knowing that he will always be with you even if not in person.

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  57. What a beautiful tribute to your brother. I'm so glad you got to be there with him at the end. I am so sorry for the loss his passing will be to you and your family, and I hope that the many happy memories you have will give you all immense comfort over the coming weeks.

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  58. I'm so sorry to hear about your brother's passing. Your family is in my thoughts. Take care.

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  59. I am so sorry. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

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  60. I am so sorry for your loss. May God give your family strength to face this difficult time, and may his soul rest in peace.

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  61. Diane, I'm so sorry for your loss. Thankfully you got to spend the time with him you did before God called him home. My thoughts and prayers are with you...Hugs to you.

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  62. I am so sorry to hear about your family's loss - I can only imagine how hard this must be for you. My thoughts and sympathy are with you.

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  63. I am so sorry for your loss. You and your family are in my thoughts and prayers. ((HUGS))

    --Anna
    Diary of an Eccentric

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  64. Diane, I am so, so sorry to hear of your loss. I will be praying for peace and strength for you and your family.

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  65. Diane, I am so sorry to hear about your brother. You are in my thoughts and prayers. That is a beautiful poem you included.

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  66. I am so sorry for your loss, Diane.
    I'm sending you thoughts of love and support during this difficult time. I am glad you were able to spend a lot of time with your brother. I think it's a relief that he is no longer in pain and suffering but I know it's hard not to have him here anymore.
    I am thinking of you and your family.
    ~ Amy

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  67. So so sorry, Diane. My prayers are with you and your family. *hug*

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  68. So, sorry to hear. He will be living in his loved ones heart.

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  69. I am so so sorry for you loss. Thinking about you today.

    -Amy
    Life by Candlelight

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  70. Thank you so much EVERYONE, for your kind words of compassion. The wake and funeral were simply beautiful with more than 250 friends and family in attendance.

    My brother's memory will live on in the goodness that he showed to others, and the caring way he lived his life.

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  71. Diane, I am so sorry to hear about the loss of your beloved brother. May he rest in peace.

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  72. I'm so sorry to hear about the loss of your brother, Diane. {{Hugs}}

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  73. O wow. My heart and thoughts go out to you.

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  74. Dear Friends,

    Thank you so much for your kindness and words of sympathy at this difficult time.

    My brother's wake/funeral was a beautiful tribute to his life well lived, with over 250 people there to memorialize him. The days/weeks ahead will be difficult for family with the holidays so close.

    Once again thank you all for your touching words - it helped a lot.

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  75. I'm so sorry to hear your sad news, Diane. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

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  76. My condolences on your loss, Diane. You and your family are in my prayers.

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  77. I'm sorry to be learning of your loss so late .. I'm so so sorry to hear of your brother's death. Having lost several family members this year, I know how painful it is and how difficult the grieving process can be. I'm glad you were able to spend lots of time with him in his final days and to be there with him when he crossed to the other side. I'm sure it was a comfort to him to have you there with him. My thoughts and prayers are with you. Sending you virtual hugs. And thanks for sharing the poem .. it is beautiful.

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  78. Diane: I'm truly sorry for your loss. You've written a beautiful tribute to your brother. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

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  79. Gwen, Jenners and anyone else I neglected to thank....your sentiments meant a lot. Thanks.

    Each day it gets a bit better, but my SIL is still having it rough.

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