she's gone

Mildred Elaine Resch
Born May 10, 1928
Died April 15, 2007

Mom died at 12:40 am Sunday morning. George and I were both with her, and I held her hand all evening, until she drew her last breath. She suffered tremendously the last few days--I was praying that God would speed things up--but her last few hours were peaceful. I sang to her, kept talking to her and telling her I was there, it wouldn't be much longer until she would be home, with daddy and grandma and everyone she's missed for so long. The last several hours she was nonresponsive, so at one point, probably about 45 minutes before she died, I asked her to squeeze my hand if she knew I was there. And she squeezed.

George and I said the rosary and in her last hour, I prayed the Commendation for the Dying for her:

Go forth, Christian soul, from this world
in the name of God the almighty Father
who created you,
in the name of Jesus Christ, Son of the living God,
who suffered for you,
in the name of the Holy Spirit,
who was poured out upon you,
go forth, faithful Christian.

May you live in peace this day,
may your home be with God in Zion,
with Mary, the virgin Mother of God,
with Joseph, and all the angels and saints.

I commend you to almighty God,
and entrust you to your creator.
May you return to him
who formed you from the dust of the earth.
May holy Mary, the the angels, and all the saints
come to meet you as you go forth from this life.
may Christ who was crucified for you
bring you freedom and peace.
May Christ who died for you,
admit you into his garden of paradise.
May Christ, the true Shepherd,
acknowledge you as one of his flock.
May he forgive all your sins,
and set you among those he has chosen.
May you see your Redeemer face to face,
and enjoy the vision of God forever.

Her obituary is in the StarTribune today.

Eternal rest grant unto her, O Lord,
and may perpetual light shine upon her.
May her soul and the souls of all the faithful departed
rest in peace.
Amen.