Till we meet again

Gwen Lyman passed away this afternoon in Bakersfield California. She will be missed by many but we rejoice in the reunion she is experiencing on the other side. Funeral arrangements are forth coming.

Update 1/26/2011

The nurse said that mom had a strong heart with her blood pressure being 108/70. Her lung capacity has diminished due to her shallow breathing but she is fine and her oxygen pump is set still at 3. She was able to take her pills again this morning which helps her feel better. She has had a decent day and received calls form Rosemary, Deanna and Maxine Hiskey. Her speech is slurred but she still remembers everyone and carries on a reasonable conversation with them. She is still eating very little and drinking about 2 glasses of water each day. Last night I gave her a pain pill because her shoulders were hurting so much and she asked for one. She slept so well through the night that I have given her one tonight also and she is resting very comfortably tonight.

Here are some more letters we just received.



Grandma Lyman,
I want you to know that you are the greatest example of Christ-like love in my life. I know we don't believe in beatification. But if we did, you would be the one person whom I could unequivocally say deserves such an honor.

I know that Grandpa was not always the most appreciative person, but you were always patient with him. I'm sure you will find him a bit more humble and very grateful to see you on the other side.

I don't believe I ever heard you utter a cross word -- not even to mischievous or disobedient grandchildren.Disappointed at times, yes, but angry, never.

You were always the consummate hostess, always concerned that others were well fed, comfortable, and cared for. I thought that came from being the proprietor of a motel. However, as I read your biography that Evelyn recorded, I think it started long before that. I think a little girl, not quite 12 years old, wanted a last chance to tell her mother that she loved her, but she never got that chance. Instead, that little girl resolved to make sure that those she loved knew that she loved them.

We, your posterity, want you to know that we have all felt and been blessed by your love. And in the coming days, you will be able to deliver that long awaited hug and kiss to your mother. Who already knows of your love by the life you have lived. And the Savior knows as well. Who will undoubtedly say to you, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant … enter thou into the joy of thy lord.”

With all my love,
Randy

P.S. see attached picture of our family



Dear Grandma,

This note has been a long time coming. So sorry for the delay, but I am one of
those people who struggle putting heartfelt words on paper. I hope that I can
adequately express to you how I feel.
To begin, Grandma, I love you so much. I hope you can you feel my arms around
you...I am there giving you a big hug. That same hug you always shared with me
whenever we were together. Grandma, since the day we met I have admired you.
You have such a loving, gentle, kind way about you, that light in your eyes, and
with that you always made me feel so welcome. I hope it's okay with you...I am
happy to say that I am one of your grandchildren. You have raised such a
wonderful family and it is a blessing in my life to be a part of it.
I cherish the times we were able to spend together, I wish they could have been
more. We always had such a wonderful time and many memories were made. I know
that many times I had my camera in your face, please forgive me for that. Since
we weren't able to see you as often as we would have like, I made sure that we
had your picture front and center in our home. You and grandpa were such a
blessing in Glenn's life. I know that the summers he spent with you in
Escalante are his most treasured childhood memories. He loves to share the
stories of his time there with Megan and I. It was so nice to be able to take
Megan several times to the place her dad loves. She had so many fun times
there. Glenn has always said he would like to retire there.
Thank you Grandma for who you are. You possess so many good qualities and I
have learned from them. I want you to know how much I appreciate the love and
advice you shared with me in raising an only child. It helped me to look at
things through a different light and I was able to remember that advise
throughout Megan's childhood and used it when needed. You have been such a
positive influence in my life.
Now Grandma, I hope you won't mind if I share something very personal and close
to my heart. It's a very sacred story to share because it was an answer to a
prayer. For a long time it was hard for me to accept the passing of someone I
love...until my Grandma Allred passed away. I struggled so much after she
passed, so I prayed to our Heavenly Father for comfort. Our Heavenly Father
blessed me with a vision of my grandpa waiting with open arms for my grandma to
join him. I knew from that time on that she was going to be taken care of and
that she wasn't alone. He was so happy. I saw it so clearly and I can't tell
you how much comfort it gave me. Grandma I know that grandpa is there waiting
for you with his arms open and waiting for you to join him. He must be so
excited to see and be with you again. I'm sure you feel the same way about him.
I pray that our Heavenly Father will bless you and allow you to join him when
your time is right. I will love you always!

Love.
Lisa Palmer

Dear Aunt Gwen,

I can't believe it has been a year since my mother, Orabell passed away. I miss her so much. We enjoyed so many good times together. She spoke of you often and how much she had loved being with you and Uncle Randall. I especially loved it when you
"girls" came to San Diego and I got to tag along and listen to your jokes and stories.

So many times in my life I think of the summers I spent with you and your family in Escalante when I was growing up. They were some of the best times in my life.

We kids would go up to Grandma Lymans and look upstairs for dress-up clothes. Then we would put on plays for anyone who would sit down and watch. Then we would run home to your house and try to get some of your delicious home made root beer. Your family is so very dear to me.

My sister, Juli is on a long business trip with her husband in Argentina and Chili.

May the Lord bless you.

Love always,
Mary Katherine Weigel Tanner

sweet letters from family members part 2

Grandma,

You have been on my mind a lot lately and I have taken to time to reminisce about all the time I have spent with you over the years. I always loved the summers we had at your house and I loved watching you as you would press the sheets at the motel. I was amazed at how you worked that press. As I crawled beneath the crisp covers that night in the motel room, I realized all the love and effort that went into making me feel so relaxed and comfortable. That is how you made everyone feel that came to rest there and I saw the love you had for others as you provided this service. In looking back at those moments I realized the great love you had for others and that has always been the case. You were always such a hard working grandma and you took very little time to rest. I was always amazed at all you did and yet you always had time for us grandkids. I felt it was a great treat when you came to live with mom and dad here in California. I felt so lucky to finally have you around more often. We have had so many times to talk and I have enjoyed our conversations. I know that you always told me how you were just trying to find out what God wanted you to learn so you could finally go home to grandpa. We sat and talked about it and the only conclusion we could come to was that you still needed time with us. Well Grandma from the wise words of someone I know and love (you), "Thanks for coming, and thanks for participating!" Someone is waiting for you and I think he has waited long enough. Thanks for all the wonderful memories I get to share with my kids. Thanks for all the special moments we got to share with you. Thanks for being such a great example to me and showing me your love for the gospel. Thanks for just being you. So now, into his arms you go to see the love of your life once more. You have both waited long enough. And don't worry about mom and dad. We know how to keep them busy. I love you Grandma.

Wendy

PS There are a few things I need you to do when you get settled on the other side. Can you check on Nick and Beth for me and let them know I love and miss them both. I need you to give them a big hug since I can't do that right now. Also, can you put in a good word for me when you get there? I need all the help I can get!

Ramon Terrazas (Wendy's Husband ) Writes:

I'm not sure where to start. This is my turn to step back and look at what Gwen Lyman did that changed my outlook on life. The concept of thank you for coming to Earth and participating as a valued member of this family just doesn't seem to carry the esteemed credit you so richly deserve. I met you in those Golden Years and never got to know the child, young adult or newlywed mother of these children as I have come to know as members of my family. I often wonder if I had courted Wendy longer and had the opportunity to meet all the family before we married, if I would have appreciated the love that exists in this great family any better than I do now. We may never know. I have such a great admiration toward the love demonstrated in its purest form by each of your children, grandchildren, and great grandchildren and so on. You have been blessed with the unique privilege of experiencing so much in this mortal life that this in itself is amazing, so much heartache, so much joy. Even now in your most challenging moments, you truly have been tested. Your example of grace, tender love, stern conviction and silent courage have endured beyond what most of us could ever do. You have touched the lives of so many and we merely want to say thank you for all you've done for each of us. I know that you often felt like a burden to us and the irony of it is you were always a blessing. You didn't have to do anything, you just had to be seen. You have been that anchor that kept many of us from drifting away. Many times what words were shared may not have been profound, but they were genuine and heartfelt. No one can take your place in the family. There was never a moment that we didn't cherish with you. I especially enjoy watching you with the babies. There are some who look upon the leaving of this life as a sad event and for those still here pushing along, it can be. There are others who cherish and look forward with great anticipation of ending this life to begin a new one. You see it is not what you take with us that is most important, it is what you leave behind, the many souls whose lives are not ever going to be the same because they met you. I hope that you know how much we love and appreciate you and all you have done for us. It wouldn't be fair to you and very selfish of us to want to keep you here on Earth any longer than you are intended. It doesn't matter whether you were the best example or not you are our Great Grandmother, Grandmother, Mother, sister, daughter and we love you just the way you are. Your Heavenly Father is the only one who truly understands all you've done and endured. The memories we will cherish are the treasures we will hold within our hearts and minds until the day comes when we meet again. I personally want to thank you for being a great influence in my life. You always had your own way of making each person feel accepted and you were straight forward when it was called for. I look forward to a time when all of us still living will be united with the rest of our families all dressed in beautiful white attire and there will only joy and comfort exist. We won't want or desire anything and the light in your eyes will shine even brighter than we can remember. I love you.

Ramon


Ramon Wendy's son and daughter-in-law sent the next two messages

To my spunky wonderful great grandma,

I just wanted to remind you of some of my favorite memories w/ you. First, you always said to Anthony & I, "that we better behave or I'm going hit you w/ my cane", I will always love that saying. So I have learned that I better be good, or great grandma will hear what I've done, & I will end up w/ a cane mark across my bum. Second, you always tell me to stop eating so fast, & I always say but I'm so hungry. Then you would always say, the food isn't going anywhere!!!!
All in all I have the sweetest great grandma in the entire world. I could not of asked for a better great grandma! You are an inspiration to myself and everyone around you.
I love you so very much & want to say so much more but the words can not come to me. Do know this, that you have touched my life in ways you'll never know, & you hold a piece of my heart.

Love you always,
Ramon G. Terrazas

To sweet great grandma,

I am so very happy that I have been blessed w/ the chance to meet you & have you in my life. You are by far the most sweetest, loving & caring grandma a girl married in to the family could have. You have taken me in & made me one of your own grand kids, which means the world to me. Being the one who comes & takes care of you when they (grandma & grandpa) have things to do as been a pleasure of mine which I would do a hundred more times. I love coming and spending time w/ you. Grandma just told me the other day, that you were the one who always requested that I come & take care of you. That means the world to me. You have filled a hole in my heart that was from when my great grandma passed away. Thank you for that.
It as been so neat to have my girls have a great great grandma in their sweet lives & to see your face every time Lexi comes to say hi to you is a highlight of my day. She loves you oh so very much, you are the only person she does not fight w/ to give kisses. Even though Bri is still so very little, I know that she loves you so very much too.
A saying that we say in our family to sum up how much we love each other:

I love you as high as sky, as deep as the ocean, as many more people in the whole wide world, times infinity!!!!!!!

With loves always,
Ashley, Alexis, & Brielle

update 1/23/2011

Mom is still with us and this morning she had a treat from Daniel Morales, a young man from Earlimart who knew mom when we lived in Delano. Daniel and his mom (Melissa) came and visited mom on many occasions when he was just a young boy. Yesterday Daniel came by with Mark and Teancum to help with Teancum's Eagle Project. They were going over to cut some lumber in Brother Johnson's shop here in town. They came by the house before going over to Brother Johnson's home and Daniel asked if he could see mom. We went into her room and woke her up and she was so excited to see Daniel again. Daniel and his mother had sent mom some beautiful flowers when they heard she was not doing very well. Mom thanked Daniel for the flowers and told him what a good looking young man he had become. She talked to him about how much she had enjoyed his visits when she lived in Delano. It was a sweet moment for the two of them.

After Daniel left mom went back to sleep and has been asleep most of the time other than when I wake her to give her something to drink or eat. She had quite a restless night last night and I thought we were going to lose her, but she has rallied this morning and took her pills with a little juice and some jello.

sweet letters from family members

My Dear Aunt Gwen:
Evelyn wrote and said that you were not doing well. I wanted to let you know how much you have meant to me for all of my 67 years. Not many people can say that they have had a substantial influence on someone for this long a period, unless it's their child.

From my very first memories, I know that some of my most poignant moments were with you, Randall and the kids in Escalante. At the celebration of your birthday this past summer, Joan and I stayed in the Padre Motel. I looked out the window in the bathroom and saw the barn. Oh, boy! Did the memories come back with a flood... Dilts... what a hard headed horse! Milking the cow and having fresh cream for our bread and milk. I loved feeding the pigs, though they were "scary"when i would lean over the pen and dump the feed and garbage for their daily feast. What fun for a boy like I was... from the city, with no knowledge of this type of life. I never would have had that experience if not for you and Randall.

Mom loved to come to Escalante to see you and help on the switchboard. She loved the quiet and beauty that Escalante possess, as we all do. I remember going to Devil's Backbone. In those days, it was almost a full days trip. Playing with the girls in the back yard and teasing the heck out of them was something! Having Dick 'teach" Dilts how to ride double with me as the passenger was probably a big act of patience for both horse and man. I, the boy, loved it. WOW! I couldn't have had more fun Uncle Randall took me up to Poesy to fish and made sure that I caught something. He and Uncle Harold gave me something in fishing and hunting that I still enjoy to this day. These are the memories of a lifetime. How can that be beat.

The "BEST" present you gave me was your UNCONDITIONAL LOVE. I always felt so secure and safe when I was with you as I do today with these memories of you. Every time I would see you, you welcomed me. You give me a hug that warmed me in my heart and soul. As we all know, I was a handful in the best of times. Mom and Dad tried their best but as I look over my life, I feel like I was raised in the best traditions of the West and our faith by FAMILY. It is a tough job raising children, and I was a LUCKY ONE. You never judged. You just LOVED me and gave me your advice I want you to know that even though I may not be with you now, YOU will be with me in my heart and influencing my deeds and behavior the rest of MY life. I LOVE YOU soooo much, Aunt Gwen. Give Mom and rest of your sisters and brother a hug as I know they will be there to meet you.


God Speed,


Craig



Dear Grandma
I hope you are doing well.
I really enjoyed going out to Escalate
for the first time and seeing you.
I wish I could have brought my violin out
and played for you.
I wish I could see you more often.
love you
Hannah

Dear Grandma
I hope you are feeling good today.
I miss seeing you.
I was so good to see you when we can out to Utah!
I enjoyed seeing the places where my dad went.
I am glad I am your granddaughter.
I wish I could see you more often than every few years.
I am enjoying school. I love it.
Most of my work is reading.
Reading is something I dearly love.
I am getting ready to play in front of a judge in
March with my viola.
It will be fun.
I enjoy making music with my viola.
I love music. I only wish I could play the piano.
I love the piano.So I am trying to teach myself piano.
I also love to take pictures.
So of them are quite good.
I put a lot of them on the blog.
I also love to take long walks with my camera
and take pictures of the plants and scenery.
I love nature. I also love to talk pictures of the sunset.
The sunset gets so pretty.
I hope you have a wonderful day.
Your Granddaughter
Eliza Keturah Lyman



Dear Grandma
I enjoyed spending time seeing you , and talking to you.
I miss seeing you. It was wonderful that I got to go
to Escalante for the first time .
I love you very much .
your loving
Granddaughter
Emma


Dear Grandma

I have missed you.
I hope I can see you again.
I wish I was out there.
I love you.

Jonathan

Update 1/21/2011

Mom had a visit from a dear friend, Robin, and she brought her some daffodils in a pot. She said they reminded her of mom. Like the yellow of the sun she brought sunshine in her heart. Mom had taught her daughter Macie how to crochet and she had crocheted a scarf for mom several years ago. Macie is at BYU now going to college. Robin and Rusty are dear friends from Delano that have moved to Bakersfield. When she heard that mom was not doing well she came by and saw her. It was hard for her to see mom so down and she cried as she left her dear friend.

Mom is resting peacefully and wakes up when I go into her room to offer her a few sips of drink or give her a little food. She only eats and drinks a tiny amount. She is not passing fluids so I think they will probably put in a catheter today when the nurse comes to see her. She will also get another bath which makes her feel more relaxed. Judith is a jewel and mom likes to see her come. She ate a little bit of cereal, tapioca pudding, jello, and yams yesterday.

Last night Ramon and Ashley came by and brought the girls. Mom woke up and got about 10 kisses from Lexie (Ashley's and Ramon's daughter) her great great granddaughter. I did not take a picture of them but will do that on their next visit on Saturday. Mom seems to enjoy the small children when they come by to see her. Many people in the Brimhall Ward are always asking about her and offering services.

Deanna called last night and she talked to her but she has such a hard time hearing everyone on the phone and she cannot speak very loudly anymore - really only soft mumbles. Her speech is very labored and she only speaks one word at a time very slowly so it is hard for her when you call.

She rested well last night and did not wake up only when I got up and offered her something to drink. This morning she wanted something warm so I made her some hot chocolate and she drank about a quarter of a glass of hot chocolate. She did not want to eat when I went in and asked her if she wanted breakfast. Maybe the hot chocolate will end up being her breakfast.

She sends her love to all of you, as do I.

Wed January 19th, 2011

Mom has been down in bed for the last two days sleeping. She enjoyed her bed bath with Judith her home health nurse. It helps her to fee better when she has her bath but today she did not get up after her bath but went back to sleep. She ate some cereal this morning and some tapioca pudding tonight. She has been drinking water and some V8 juice also. Her breathing is shallow but she is still hanging in there.

After her bath she looked at the pictures that Brent Hiskey had sent to Evelyn and identified several of the pictures, where they were taken and who was in the pictures. She got tired after awhile but stayed awake unit we had identified all the people she knew. We will send Brent and Evelyn a copy of what she told me about the pictures.

The pictures attached is after he bath with her home health nurse Judith

Love

Aunt Joyce

Update on Gwen Lyman

Left to Right- Dick, grandma, Blaine, Rosemary, Evelyn and Joyce

Mom enjoyed having her children here Jan 10-14 and rallied considerably during their visit (see attached picture). Deanna is not in the picture because she was just here in November.

Mom had a good day yesterday, 1/17/11. She had the hospice home health nurse come by and give her a bath and then she got up and sat in her chair for about 3 hours. Alma Magleby ( mortuary in Richfield) called and asked about her and gave us some things we needed to do to prepare for her funeral. He also wanted to know which funeral home she would be using here in Bakersfield, which is Cherished Memories Memorial Chapel. One of the things he wanted us to do was to pick out her casket so I took my laptop into her room and she picked out her casket. We have also asked her about other arrangements that she wanted for her funeral. She is thinking about songs she wants and what she wants Dick to speak on. We were able to speak about the arrangements without it being a bother to her or myself. I went on the obituary page and printed off the obituary's for Twila McNelly, Gretha Henderson Twitchell, Betty Alvey, and Klyn Haws and gave them to her to read. She enjoyed reading about her dear friends who had passed away back in Escalante, and a cousin in Cannonville.

A week ago we thought that mom would not live more than a few more days but she has rallied again. Michelle, my daughter and her two sons, were here and Michelle helped me with mom to get her in and out of bed. She works with patients doing physical therapy and so she is very good with mom. Mom loved having two of her great grandsons here to see her also. Michelle picked up some V8 Fusion drinks for me at the store and we gave some to mom and she drank about two glasses yesterday. Last night for dinner she had some squash and a half a glass of milk. She is drinking lots of water also.

She went to bed about 7 P.M. and rested quite well through the night. She woke up at about 2:30 AM and went back to sleep after being readjusted in the bed. She was awake at 9:00 AM this morning (1/18/11), ate some 10 grain cereal, drank some juice and took her pills. She said that she had a good nights rest. Her breathing is pretty shallow so we have her hooked up to an oxygen pump and this brings more comfort to her. I will update you tomorrow.

Love to you all,
Joyce