Prayers For A Friend

Twelve to fourteen women meet every third Tuesday of the month to discuss books. I joined the book club at Spirit of Christ Catholic Community about seven years ago. A few years after I had joined a handsome man also joined the club. To this date, he was the only male in attendance at our book club. He was soft spoken but always brought good ideas to our discussions. At one point he mentioned that he had a brain tumor but that he was doing all right. I never gave it a second thought because he was active in the church choir, belonged to the Knights of Columbus, sang with the Arvada Chorale, and belonged to our book club. When ever I asked him how he was doing, he always responded with "fine."



A couple of times a year a group of church members would go hear the Arvada Chorale at the United Methodist Church in Arvada. Four years in a row we heard the group sing and each time I would have a picture taken with him. We would laugh and say it was our tradition! His wife worked the concession area and they both became our friends. One year they brought their brand new grandbaby and one could see how proud they were with the baby. After book club meetings we would all go to lunch to continue discussing books or to talk about our lives!

Time flies by so fast, that when I heard that he had gone in for a biopsy and was near death, it was hard to believe. I tried to remember the last time I had seen him and figured it had been about three months ago. At that time, he looked fine. Hearing that he might not make it through the night was a big shock. I received an e-mail from his wife letting me know that he had passed away at home on the afternoon of May 3, 2020. It sounded that it was not the brain tumor that took his life but cancer of the liver. I was happy to hear that he had his wife and children with him when he took his last breath.

Colorado is in lock-down because of the Coronavirus and there cannot be a funeral at the church. Only ten people can be present so all of his friends will not be able to be with him at the final rites.
My heart feels such a sadness at the loss of this kind and gentle man. I know he is no longer suffering but his family will be in mourning for a long time to come. It is not easy losing a husband, father, or grandfather. I pray that God be with the family to help them make it through this sad and difficult time. May our dear friend, rest in peace.

"We go the grave of a friend saying,

'A man is dead.'

But angels throng about him saying,

'A man is born!'

Henry Ward Beecher

Mass is scheduled for May, 14, 2020, and we may be able
to watch it electronically since only his family will be in attendance.