[Dialogue] Completed Life of Mary Lou Peterson

[Nan Grow]

Dear Margaret and all,
    We received with sorrow, regret and deep hope the news of  Mary Lou's
death for Advent! Many memories of her and her kids arise out of her time at
Kemper.  Our numbers on this side of the curtain keep growing smaller,  but
what a mighty host they were and are and evermore shall be!
    Grace and peace,
            Nan and Bill Grow
----- Original Message -----
From: <Jayandem2 at aol.com>
To: <Dialogue at wedgeblade.net>; <OE at wedgeblade.net>
Sent: Wednesday, December 01, 2004 9:23 AM
Subject: [Dialogue] Completed Life of Mary Lou Peterson


> Mary Lou Peterson completed her journey on this plain around three in the
> afternoon Sunday, November 28, 2004.  She died peacefully surrounded by
the love
> of family and friends: her son Rob and his wife Nancy; her daughter,
Michelle;
> Naomi Bailey, Bunny ___________ and her most faithful and gracious nurse,
> Elena. I, Margaret Aiseayew, was still traveling into Chicago at the time
as were
> several others trying to get there from locations in Chicago.
>
> Mary Lou's body was taken to Northwestern University where they are
removing
> the brain and spinal cord to further studies of ALS.
>
> A memorial service is tentatively set for Saturday, December 18, at 10:00
> a.m. in Elliott Chapel of the Westminster Presbyterian Home in Evanston,
Illinois.
>
> I haven't a great deal of energy at the moment for a longer story,
although I
> may write you more at a later time.  I found it significant that Mary Lou
> decided to leave on the first Sunday of Advent, the season of
anticipation.  She
> was almost always ready to say, "Bring it on!"
>
> In a conversation on Saturday afternoon (11/27) Mary Lou wanted me to know
> two things:  that Naomi was a saint and that she loved me.  How typical of
her
> to be reaching out, even in extremity.  As we worked to sort and clear
Mary
> Lou's things from her room on Monday, many of the staff and residents
stopped by
> to share their grief, to report stories of how Mary Lou had reached out to
> every resident of the home from the time of her arrival and to recount how
much
> she would be missed.  One of them commented that the word that had come to
her
> that best described Mary Lou was fierce.  Fierce in her care, fierce in
her
> fight, fierce in her intentions, friendships and loyalties.
>
> In the first quiet moments after my initial storm of tears I heard a
> resounding chorus singing:
> Stillness lingers in my soul,
> Dark night seems so very long.
> All hope is gone,
> The restless march moves on.
> Silence is my song.
>
> I can only thank each and every one who may ever have participated in this
> circle for that gift. I also want to thank Judith for forwarding this to
you
> all.  I was baffled by the complexity of figuring out how to get a message
to
> everyone when I couldn't access my own email address book.  I'm sure my
children
> aren't the only one's who doubt I will ever truly make it into the 21st
> century.  Mary Lou would simply admonish me to Journey On.
>
> Blessings on the Journey,
> Margaret Aiseayew
>
> Judith, Mike and Meg
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