Donnie Ray Naes

On a bright, beautiful summer day at high noon Dad's body took it’s last breath. He flew right out the window while being transported from the ICU into hospice at Evergreen Hospital in Kirkland, WA. He'd spent the last 13 days in the ICU on life support medicines to help his weak heart, and in the end his heart wouldn't go on any longer. By his bedside for his final days and with him during his transport were his girls Erin and I (Katy), and the love of his life, our mom, Kathy or 'Kath' as he called her. The evening before his passing his twin brother Tommy was able to visit in his room, just in time for Dad to have a few more lucid moments to say goodbye to his brother. In his final days he was surrounded by unconditional love. During the moments he was able to somewhat communicate, and give us indication he understood what we were saying, he received many kisses, hand squeezes, hand holds, and was told over and over again how much he was loved. He was happy he'd finally kicked his smoking habit (that many days in the ICU will do that, and his response was a "hey, hey!" with happy eyes). He'd pucker his lips and steal a kiss every time Mom was near, he even got out an "I love you" for her to hear. The way he looked at Erin and I with his loving, proud eyes we will hold with us until we meet him again. For us, we saw a fairy-tale ending to a love story. Next year it would have been 50 years they'd gotten married to one another, though it wasn't part of the plan to stay together for each of those years. Erin and I watched two people who loved one another once again reunite one last time in absolute love and adoration to send Dad off. Our family of four came back together one last time. It was beautiful in every single way. (refer to the memory below to read the rest of this passage)