Steve Mills and his wife have one daughter. They previously owned two coffee/ice cream shops, currently operate an internet sales company and teach classes, but his primary job involves the paper industry worldwide. Hobbies and interests lie in gardening, photography, recorded music and of course, their pets.

With extremely sad heart I write about Deb's mother passing, Wanda Lee

Posted Tuesday, November 27, 2018, at 2:25 PM

Wanda Lee

I could not bring myself to do it yesterday, so some of you may already know from the T-G online page..

As far as details of a visitation, I believe we have it set for this Friday the 30th, 4-7 at Feldhaus Memorial but check the T-G or Feldhaus to be sure. Since she will be buried with her husband at Ft. Bliss cemetery in El Paso, we would ask anyone wanting to send flowers make a donation to Hospice in her name. They have been a real blessing.

Although we had over three years to prepare for this, (she had a gall bladder attack that started it all) the finality of things is very tough. Mommy knew things were going to happen quickly. My sister always sends her a yearly book of Christian daily readings and when she got it two weeks ago she told me to send it back because she would not be here to read it. We settled on not opening the box until the New Year. Her last reading of the current book was bookmarked November 20^th.

After that date she started sleeping long periods of time and while sitting with her she often said things that did not make sense. I believe she was talking to someone else, but woke up briefly 3 days ago to look at me and say she would not be here on Christmas. I tried to dissuade her from thinking that way, but she just repeated it and went back to sleep. That was the last time I talked to her although I talked a lot to her over the past few days.

Yes it hurts but her body was giving out and she would not have been happy to be bed-ridden, so all things considered, her passing was merciful. Deb and Babe (our house dog) were with her when she passed. I had stepped out of the room and when I returned she was gone.

Babe had slept with her in the recliner for days and pushed her way into the bedroom for that last day. She sat in a chair at the foot of her bed rather than jump on the bed because she knew sleeping on the recliner was OK but not on the bed.

She lived with us here for 20 years after caring for her husband in El Paso for 9 years after a debilitating stroke. They had been married 49 years and the stroke left Mr. Lee unable to talk, walk or eventually feed himself. Deb would go over for months at a time to help early on, but our daughter started going to school and she had to eventually stay here. At the time I was traveling a lot for work.

When Mr. Lee passed we were able to talk her into coming here. Since she had never learned to drive, she would have had little chance to get out and begin living again.

Some people might cringe about having your mother-in-law move in, but it NEVER caused the first issue. She could not have been any better. There is so much to be said and I may add to this post as emotions allow, but for now, a few pictures

You knew I had to get a gardening shot in here.