Chewymom

I first met Dean about six years ago. Our families became fast friends–parents with five children have to stick together! We ended up forming the Birthday Club along with three other couples, where we got to know Dean even better.

We learned that he worked with wood–a cabinet maker. The kitchens he had helped build were beautiful! Dean also was a passionate drummer and had an entire room in his home dedicated to his drums. And his bicycle–he also loved to ride.

He was diagnosed with a brain tumor several years back, and he had to quit working as much. Which was bad for him, but nice for us, because we were able to commission him to build us a round table to go in our new kitchen. He measured and planned, he complained slightly at how difficult a round table was turning out to be, and then one day he arrived at our door and delivered what has to be the most beautiful piece of furniture I own. A table that will seat all seven of us comfortably, and can accommodate up to three extra people!

And when I complained that it was TOO BIG and I couldn’t reach across, he built a matching lazy susan.

That was last summer, and in about October, he learned that his tumor was growing again. We have watched his slow physical decline, and enjoyed his intact sense of humor and dry wit over the last few months.

And last night we got the call we knew was coming. Dean has lost his battle with his tumor. But he hasn’t lost–he has won. His suffering and pain of the past weeks is over. His withering body has been replaced with a new one, and he has now met Jesus face to face!

My husband wrote a beautiful tribute to Dean about a vision he had of him, and posted it early yesterday, just hours before the vision became reality. Read it here.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 26th, 2008 at 9:18 am and is filed under This and That. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.