Lloyd George Jackson

Thanks for all the nice comments. Thought I would post the information about the funeral and dad's obituary. Save me a little time this way. It has been a whirlwind here. I think we will collapse after it is all over....except we can't....we have to still get through graduation.

So many things are falling into place that are giving us comfort. We wanted to have a military honor guard at the cemetery to honor dad for his service in WWII. In order to have that you must have the discharge papers. Are you kidding me? Mom has been gone for 6 1/2 years....she would have been the best one to ask. The next best would have been dad. How the heck were they going to find the paperwork. Scott remembered seeing it out in the office in the filing cabinet a few years ago. They started there. Not a military paper in sight! Went through the legal documents in the house. They couldn't find it and Scott was really sad about that. They gave up. Scott walked in and looked around in dads bedroom and had some memories....and he saw an envelope.....opened it up.....and DISCHARGE PAPERS! So, dad will be properly honored for his service in the United States Navy. It has brought us great comfort.

I just returned from the funeral home where Scott and his brother Tom dressed dad. He looks so much younger. He was pretty beat up from all the falls and the struggle he had the four days before he passed. He look amazing. He even has a smirk on his face.....just the way I remember him. He was quite the prankster.

August 14, 1917 - May 28, 2009Obituary: Lloyd George Jackson, 91, passed away on Thursday, May 28, 2009. He was born in Sutherland, Utah on August 14, 1917 to George and Rhoda Jackson. He was married to Melba Robinson on January 23, 1945. Lloyd enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1940 and served in the South Pacific during WWII. In 1951, Lloyd and Melba moved from Delta, Utah to Moses Lake, Washington. He founded and operated Jackson Electric and worked as an electrical contractor for over 40 years. Lloyd was an active member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and served in numerous church positions throughout his lifetime, including twice as a Bishop in Moses Lake. He had a great love and concern for children, his own and any he would happen to greet at church or around town. They returned that love for him and he was highly regarded as a grandpa to more than just his own grandchildren. He spent his free time riding mules, working in his garden, and taking care of others' needs. Lloyd is survived by his children David and Sharon (Widdison), Susan Pahl, Bina Jean and Charles Virgin, Robert and Kim (Breuninger), James and Cindy (Carpenter), Thomas and M'Lee (Holmes), and Paul Scott and Chandra (King); 26 grandchildren, and many great-grandchildren. Those preceding Lloyd in death are his parents, George and Rhoda Jackson, his beloved wife, Melba, and his eight brothers and sisters. Funeral services will be held at 10:00 a.m. Monday, June 1st at the Moses Lake LDS Stake Center on Division Street. The family will greet friends at Kayser's Chapel of Memories on Sunday, May 31st from 4:00-6:00 p.m. and also at the church on Monday from 9:00 a.m. until 9:45 a.m. In lieu of flowers, the family requests a donation be made to your favorite children's charity in Lloyd's memory. Visitations: 4:00PM to 6:00PM on Sunday, May 31st, 2009 at Kayser's Chapel of Memories (map/driving directions)9:00AM to 9:45AM on Monday, June 1st, 2009 at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Stake CenterServices: 10:00AM at The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints - Stake Center on Monday, June 1st, 2009

Gone Home

When we visited dad on his last good day this past Saturday we walked into the nursing home with my friends Les and Janine. They are very dear friends of dads. As soon as we walked in dad reached for Janines hand and said "I want to go home." Well, after quite a struggle dad has gone home. He had a rough day yesterday. Very restless. We got a call at 5am yesterday and dad had partway fallen out of bed and had his head wedged between the bed rail and the mattress when the nurse checked on him. I broke down and cried at that moment. Had much more did he have to suffer? Scott ran right up to there and I followed close behind. Scott spent about 14 hours up there yesterday and I was by his side for most of them. We left around 10:30 to get just a few hours of sleep. We left dad in very loving hands. His grandaughter Kelly sat at his bedside holding his hand through the night. When we left dad's breathing was still very strong. Both Scott and his brother that is the doctor said he would make it through the night. Well, dad always did like to be in charge and have things his way. Kelly called at 2:45 this morning to let us know that dad had just slipped away. When we arrived and I walked in the room my face was flooded with tears.....but tears of joy. His struggle was over. He looked so peaceful. He was in the loving arms of his dear sweet wife....and he had many siblings that have waited so long for him to arrive. Dad was the last of all of his brothers and sisters to go. I am sure there was a joyous reunion this morning. I am so thankful for the gospel and for a knowledge that he is safely home after a valiant journey in this life. He was a remarkable man....and an amazing father and grandfather. He filled such a whole in my heart when I lost my dad. I couldn't have hand picked a better grandfather for my children. Chris has had the amazing opportunity these past three months of administering the sacrament to dad up at the nursing home. He would kneel at his bedside and whisper the prayer into his ear. It is something that seemed to calm dad and it is a memory that Chris will forever cherish. Welcome Home Dad. Welcome Home. I love you.

A little weary

As I was walking in for my missionary meeting on Sunday I met up with my hubby. He said the Nursing home had just called and dad had taken a downturn. The night before he was quiet but up in his wheelchair and we took him outside and fed him a blizzard. Well, he refused breakfast sunday morning and they couldn't bring him around for lunch. So....we went straight to the nursing home. Dad was weak. He would open his eyes for short moments....but didn't say anything. We went and got Scott's brothers. We spent 11 hours up there on Sunday. Memorial Day brought about the same results. Very weak. Finally got a bit of soup and juice down him at dinner. My brother in law Jim rushed up from Boise where he was visiting his brand new grandson that had been born the night before......Congrats Leslie and Matt. He gave dad a beautiful blessing. Talked about how valiant he had been. Told him how many people were anxiously awaiting his arrival on the other side. It was an emotional blessing....but it also gave each of us great peace. I went and sat with dad this morning for three hours. Normally the room is crowded with family but today it was just me and dad. He was very restless. Opened his eyes about every five minutes and asked for help....but then would close them again. If I held his hand and stroked his hair he would settle down. Once he was getting agitated and I took his hand and told him "It's okay dad. I'm right here with you." He took my hand to his mouth and kissed it and whispered "I love you" That made the whole morning worthwhile. The nurse finally gave him some valium and he calmed down allowing me to run home for a couple hours. It is so hard to see him struggling this way. My faith is taking a beating the last couple of days. We are all praying that the Lord will release him from his earthly body and let him go home to be with mom. It is heartbreaking to see him. We just sit there....but it is so emotionally exhausting. He is such a good man. So many people in this town love and admire him. I pray that the Lord will bless him for his goodness and bring him home.

Taste of the empty nest

Chris has been away for an entire week. He went to Disneyworld with one of his childhood friends. He and Kade became friends in kindergarten. They remained friends for years and it was really sad when Kade moved the summer before they went in to highschool. When they were little Kade always said that he was taking Chris on his senior trip. After he moved I just figured that he would take someone from New Mexico. Well, he called Chris up and asked him to come. They have been having a marvelous time. The weather has been terrible and Chris said there are alligators right up by the road from having all the rain. Lines at Disneyworld were much shorter though. I can't wait to see all of his pictures and hear about his trip. I must say....it has been rather quiet around here without his laughter. I have missed him terribly. I guess I'd better get used to it. He will be headed off to college before I can turn around.

I have had a busy week while Chris has been away. I taught seven straight days of seminary. What a delight. I hadn't had these classes yet this year and what a great group of youth. It was just a joy to teach them. We are studying New Testament this year and the seminary lessons are wonderful as we talk about the Savior and his love and sacrifice for us. I'm so thankful that I have this opportunity to work for the CES program in the church. I'm so thankful that my children have had such wonderful seminary teachers as they have received their gospel instruction.

I really need to update more often

I made a quick and unexpected trip to Utah a couple of weeks ago. I went to help Carolyn and Brent get moved into their new apartment and to help Carolyn after she suffered a miscarriage. It was an emotional trip for me....but I'm so glad I went. I love my daughter dearly and I'm glad that I was able to be there for her during a difficult time. I love you bug! We ate out a lot. I got to try some new things in Provo. I had a tasty steak salad from Coasta Vida. I took the gang to our favorite place Tecano's for some great brazilian food. I stayed an extra day and spent the day with Kevin and Stacie and her brother Grant. We drove up to Heber. It was just beautiful and the snow on Mt. Timpanogus was breathtaking. We hiked up this little hill and there was a meadow with a lone dead tree in it. It was the most beautiful view of the mountain. The morning I flew out I took the kids to Kneaders for breakfast. I had heard about this place but never went. The french toast was the thickest toast I had ever seen. It was delicious....served with this tasty syrup and fresh whip cream and strawberries. Yum.

We have been busy with baseball. Tonight is Senior night at the field. I am bringing kleenex. I can't even imagine the number of hours we have spent on a baseball field since Chris was 5 years old. The chiefs are in a three way tie for first place. All three teams have league games tonight. There may be a playoff for the top division spot.

Saturday got off to a bit of a rough start. We got a phone call around 9am that Lloyd had taken a tumble and the ambulance was on its way to the nursing home. This was dad's second trip to the ER in six weeks. This time he hit his head and needed stitches. He looks like he lost a fight with a baseball bat. There was so much blood. The ER was so busy and so Scott gloved up and cleaned dad up. It took about 40 minutes and a bottle of peroxide to get all the blood from his hair. I watched and Scott lovingly cared for his father. There were no beds at the hospital so after stitching him up and making sure there were no skull fractures they sent him back to the nursing home. He hasn't been quite the same the last couple of days. It breaks my heart.

It was prom this weekend. The kids had so much fun. They went to dinner at Eddie's. There were 10 other kids in their group. When it was time for the bill they found out that Randy had come in and paid for everyone. His daughter was in the group. He also let the kids use his physical therapy office for an after prom party. They decorated it. Randy brought down the big screen tv for movies and they had the sno shack moved to the office so they could have sno-cones. These boys are saving money for a mission.....so no limo for them.....plus they like to be different. The decorated a motor home and that is how they went to the dance. Chris said they were all dancing in there and it was a blast.



Kelcey looked like a princess in her dress. It is hard to see in the pictures but it is ballerina pink. It laced up the back. It was beautiful.