Message from Karen Loeb Mhyre (65): Bellevue, WA

Here we are at the end of our journey. I wanted to let each of you know that our Mother, Hannah Alida Loeb, passed away on Saturday, October 9th at 1:20 PM. We are so grateful for these last few months, not only because it gave each of us time to be with mom, but it also gave us time to spend with each other, a rare gift for three grown-up sisters.

Ashley Hannah, Andrew and Jennifer’s youngest (4 month old) was visiting with us when the weekend Hospice nurse arrived.As Andrew arrived to pick up Ashley, the Hospice nurse was examining Mom. At that moment, Mom was gone. She had quietly stopped breathing and faded away, very peacefully and with little pain.

The last several days had been very quiet and calm. Turning Mom over, and giving her little sips of water to keep her mouth moist, was all she seemed to want or need. It was a time for each of us to sit closely and hold her hand. On Friday evening, Karen washed her face and Mom murmured “Thank you.”We think those were her last words.

Mom wanted to be at home when she died, and we are so happy that we were able to help her do this. Our plan now is to have a private family service this weekend at St. Brendan’s Church in Bothell. In July, we will be attending a family wedding in Minnesota. We will take a little trip to the lake near our parents first home where they were married and started their family. That was some 63 years ago. Our Dad, George Loeb died so long ago in 1975. We know this would make them both happy, together again in the place they were young, healthy and happy!

Thank you all for your love and support, your prayers and care. It has been a long four months but also a very rewarding time. Mom would laugh at us as we moved her to her chair, positioned her in bed, and help her with her meals, personal care and the like.She was incredibly patient with our stumbling and incredibly thankful that we were together with her during this time.We watched her favorite films, read from some of her favorite books, listened to a great deal of music and even watched some old “Rockford Files.”We looked at old photos and albums given to her by Drew and Jill, as well as old family albums. We were fortunate that Tom and his family were able to visit from Saudi Arabia in July, and Jill and her little family visited from Michigan around the same time. Frequent visits from Mom’s nieces and nephews and their families, as well as visits by Andrew and his family kept Mom extremely busy and cared for.Our Hannah and my Jim would stop in occasionally, too. It really was a journey for all of us.

In the end, it was as Mom had wanted. We were together at home and she was at peace. What more can anyone ask. We will miss her but she will always be with us.

Please, send no flowers or anything, just continue to donate to your favorite charities and continue to do all the good things I know you do for others. This is what Mom wanted.

And thank you for thinking of us at this difficult time, we knew you were there and it really helped to have this kind of support. Please forgive this method of communicating the news, it is now the simplest way we can share with each other. Mom liked letters best, but had learned to accept our modern ways.

All our love,

Karen, Jane and Mari

Karen, we are so saddened to hear of the death of your mother. We so enjoyed her visit with you at the 2007 reunion. She was such a sweetheart of a person. She and Art Rude were call mates. Gary

Reply from Sharon Longie Dana (73): MIssoula MT

You are so welcome Sharon. It is my pleasure. It’s wonderful you were able to connect with Brenda. You’ve just added more fuel to my efforts doing this. Gary

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