Kory's mom, Deanne Kunz, has had Parkinson's for a little over twenty years. Starting last fall, she started to go downhill. They were in St. George for the winter and she started having home health come in several times a week.
When she and LaRell came back to Teton Valley at the beginning of June, she was still getting around well, but she was hallucinating--seeing kids, and dogs, and all sorts of things. We knew she would need some home health, but imagined she would be this way throughout the summer. Kory and I and the kids tried to come to the valley a bit more to give LaRell some help around the house and yard.
On June 17, Kory and I came out with Caleb and Chloe and helped around the yard and helped with Deanne. She had started having a much harder time getting up so that it almost took two people to get her anywhere. Nicole was here helping for a few days.
On Tuesday, Deanne stopped eating and was no longer able to swallow pills and her kidneys seemed to be shutting down. On Wednesday, Kory and I came out with our older kids and most of Kory's siblings were here as well. It was a special time to talk, reminisce and visit Deanne. She was mostly sleeping at this point.
On Friday, Kory and I came back to the valley again. All of the siblings were there and everyone felt she would pass away in the next day or so. Deanne was mostly sleeping and would only occasionally open her eyes. The siblings spent the day remembering, looking through pictures, and sitting out on the porch. In the evening, the brothers decided to go hunt for squirrels in the field and Kory was the only one to shoot one--he actually doesn't like hunting.
At 10:00 that night, Kory gave Deanne a blessing. We sang a song or two and then had a family prayer. Kory and I went over to stay in my uncle's cabin in Tetonia. Nicole was sleeping with Deanne and noticed a change in her breathing around 4:30 a.m. on Saturday. She woke Halli and later LaRell. LaRell was alone with her in the room when she passed away around 5:30. They noticed it was right at sunrise, which seemed like a perfect time to go.
We had a prayer and sang "God, Be With You Till We Meet Again." Then the mortician, who is a good friend of LaRell's, came and they took her away. We had a big breakfast, making Grandma's recipe for buttermilk pancakes and made plans for the funeral. It has been an emotional week, but really a beautiful one as well. We are so grateful for Deanne's life and example and the strength of family.
On Sunday, Kory and I and the three youngest kids came out to go to church with Grandpa Kunz, so he wouldn't have to be there alone. Then we hung around relaxing. There were so many wonderful people from the valley stopping in to offer condolences, bringing food, etc. It's a wonderful community to live in.
When she and LaRell came back to Teton Valley at the beginning of June, she was still getting around well, but she was hallucinating--seeing kids, and dogs, and all sorts of things. We knew she would need some home health, but imagined she would be this way throughout the summer. Kory and I and the kids tried to come to the valley a bit more to give LaRell some help around the house and yard.
On Tuesday, Deanne stopped eating and was no longer able to swallow pills and her kidneys seemed to be shutting down. On Wednesday, Kory and I came out with our older kids and most of Kory's siblings were here as well. It was a special time to talk, reminisce and visit Deanne. She was mostly sleeping at this point.
On Friday, Kory and I came back to the valley again. All of the siblings were there and everyone felt she would pass away in the next day or so. Deanne was mostly sleeping and would only occasionally open her eyes. The siblings spent the day remembering, looking through pictures, and sitting out on the porch. In the evening, the brothers decided to go hunt for squirrels in the field and Kory was the only one to shoot one--he actually doesn't like hunting.
We had a prayer and sang "God, Be With You Till We Meet Again." Then the mortician, who is a good friend of LaRell's, came and they took her away. We had a big breakfast, making Grandma's recipe for buttermilk pancakes and made plans for the funeral. It has been an emotional week, but really a beautiful one as well. We are so grateful for Deanne's life and example and the strength of family.
On Sunday, Kory and I and the three youngest kids came out to go to church with Grandpa Kunz, so he wouldn't have to be there alone. Then we hung around relaxing. There were so many wonderful people from the valley stopping in to offer condolences, bringing food, etc. It's a wonderful community to live in.
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