Dottie Sue King-1940-2010

Today was a very emotional day for the King family. Dottie is my step-dad's mother, and after a long battle with COPD; she went to be with the Lord. Although my step-dad raised me, I wasn't very close to Dottie, but I do have memories of going over to her house as a child. She loved reading romance novels and especially enjoyed gardening. She spent her days in the workforce as a phlebotomist. Dottie did not want a funeral, she wanted a celebration in her honor, so we held a small memorial at her church in Tyler, followed by a nice lunch, and then we went back to her house. Since her sons don't live in the area, they were instructed to get what they wanted out of the house, and then local family would sell the rest in a garage sale.

I can't begin to tell you how strange (for lack of a better word) it is to walk through someone's house who passed away just 48 hours prior. As I walked around with my mom and step-dad, I remember seeing Dottie's toothbrush and thinking how she wouldn't use that anymore. I also picked up her Bible to see where she read last, indicated by the attached bookmark. She had been reading in the book of Galations in the chapter that so beautifully describes our freedom in Christ. Oh, how I bet she longed to be free of her disease and free to breathe again. What a wonderful celebration of the life of a woman who surrendered her life to the work of Christ.

And God will wipe the tears from their eyes. And there will be no more death, mourning, crying out, nor will their be pain or suffering, for the first things passed away. Revelation 21:4