 |
Current mood:  sad Category: Life
As most of you know by now, I lost my aunt Terry a little over a week ago. She had been fighting a very courageous battle against cancer. She had remarkably overcome inoperable lung cancer last year, but it had already spread to other parts of her body and found out earlier this year that she had three brain tumors, along with many other serious health problems. She never stopped fighting and always stayed positive, even after a nearly 90-day hospital stay in Arizona where my aunt and uncle spend their winters away from the cold of their home in Washington state. My aunt was finally able to go back to Washington to spend her last days comfortably at her home with her family, and a nurse would come on a daily basis to help care for her. She finally lost her battle with cancer on Saturday, June 27th at around 11:15pm. We had hoped we could make it up for the funeral, but just couldn't on such short notice. We found out the following Monday afternoon that the funeral was scheduled for Thursday and we just could not make it up there in time, especially with my dad's own health issues and my son Matthew... My parents plan to go up to Washington in August for my mom's high school reunion, so I will probably tag along with them then to visit our relatives. From what I've heard, my aunt's funeral had a huge turnout - around 400 people were there to celebrate her wonderful life. She was a very loving and special person. She and my uncle (my mom's brother) surprised me and came down for my high school graduation and they also came down for my wedding. That meant so much to me because all of my grandparents passed away before I turned 17 and I always adored my aunt and uncle. I just hope my aunt knew how much I loved her.
Obituary:
 Terry Jeanne "McGowan" Kinnaman
11/23/38 - 6/27/09 Terry, a retired Tacoma School District teacher was born at
St. Joseph's Hospital on 11-23-38. She passed away from complications after a
determined and courageous battle with non-small cell lung cancer. Terry's
beloved family surrounds her. They include her husband Richard, her daughter,
Kristine Kramer (Lacey), her son Steven (Seattle), two grandchildren, Stephanie
(Lacey), Bradley (Lacey), sister Leanne Rorem (Art), brother Patrick (Julie),
and numerous aunts, uncles, cousins and a large extended family. Terry graduated
from Aquinas Academy in 1956 and the University of Puget Sound in 1961. Teaching
in Stockton, CA as well as Tacoma, she spent time at Boze, Rogers, Jennie Reed
and Lowell here in Tacoma. Terry became very involved with Tacoma Education
Association serving two terms as Vice-President. She also was active in the
Washington Education Association, and the National Education Association. An
active member of Alpha Phi Sorority, she spent many years as a Sorority Advisor
at U.P.S. and was named top advisor the first year the award was given. Terry
held membership in: Delta Kappa Gamma, Retired Women in Education, and Chatty
Red Hatties in Sun City, AZ where the Kinnaman's wintered for 13 years. Terry is
a member of St. Charles Borromeo of Tacoma and St. Elizabeth Seaton of Sun City,
AZ. Dick would like to thank all her family and friends for the hundreds of
phone calls, emails, and cards she has received. She knew what true care and
love was shown by all of you. A special thank you to Dr. Senecal and Franciscan
Hospice House. Thanks Jenna. Donations can be made to Franciscan Hospice, Fred
Hutchinson Cancer Research, or the Benign Essential Blepharospasm Research
Foundation. Funeral Mass will be celebrated Thursday, July 2, 2009 at 11:00 am
at St. Charles Borromeo Church. Private family Committal at Calvary Cemetery.
Please leave online condolences at www.GaffneyCares.com . Arrangements
by Gaffney Funeral Home, 253-572-6003.
The last time (or one of the very last times) I saw my aunt. Here she is at my house holding my son Matthew when he was just 5 months old:
Powered by  | | English | | Albanian | | Arabic | | Bulgarian | | Catalan | | Chinese | | Croatian | | Czech | | Danish | | Dutch | | Estonian | | Filipino | | Finnish | | French | | Galician | | German | | Greek | | Hebrew | | Hindi | | Hungarian | | Indonesian | | Italian | | Japanese | | Korean | | Latvian | | Lithuanian | | Maltese | | Norwegian | | Polish | | Portuguese | | Romanian | | Russian | | Serbian | | Slovak | | Slovenian | | Spanish | | Swedish | | Thai | | Turkish | | Ukrainian | | Vietnamese |
|