Report on the
death of Marian Northrop Kraft
by her son Bob
I am sad to report that my mother died on Sunday, the 20th of August 2006
at the age of 94 years, in her room at the Havenwood
Retirement Home in Concord
NH
with my brother David and myself at her side.
Her body was weak and emaciated from her failure to
eat much in recent
weeks (she lost over 15 pounds in that period) and she was
receiving
supplementary oxygen through a nose tube, but she was alert
enough to
recognize us when we arrived around 11
am,
and we helped her with sips of water and a tiny amount of
soup in the next couple of hours. We kissed her
as we went out for some lunch, leaving her to rest. She
responded with a
weak smile and the words "that helps," as our lips touched
her
forehead. As we finished lunch, a phone call came from one
of the nurses alerting
us to the probability that the end was very near. When we
returned
to her room, she was no longer responsive, and drew her last
breath around
3 pm. Our sister
Sharon
arrived soon after.
On the previous day, Mom had accompanied David, his wife
Stevie, and myself to the
wedding
and reception
for her granddaughter
Arianne Kraft-Lund, daughter of
Sharon
and Peer, in nearby North Barnstead.
Mom seemed
to enjoy the day in all its aspects, from the half hour
ride through the countryside to the
church (of which she was a member), to viewing the
ceremony
and talking to
the various well wishers who approached her, to the
picture taking
session behind the church and the gala
outdoor reception
held in a
field behind the house of Sharon and Peer. She
predictably ate
very little at the reception, although she did enjoy some
of the wedding
cake and ice cream just before we left. Through it all
she was quiet
but alert, conversing
with those who approached her in her
wheel
chair, holding
her newest
great grandchild Violet, congratulating Ari and
welcoming groom Rik into the family. All in all, a
wonderful day with family
and friends -- doubtless also very tiring, although she did
not ask for
nap time, nor did she sleep in the car on the return trip.
We returned her to her room around 8 pm,
and the attendants helped her to bed immediately. Then we drove back to
David and Stevie's home in Amherst MA. In the
morning, she complained of chest
"tightness" and was nauseous. The concerned staff gave her
some
medication to make her more comfortable and notified us by phone around
9 am. David and I drove
back to Concord
from Amherst,
two hours away. In hindsight, although the results are sad, the timing
was good
-- she had a wonderful day on Saturday at the wedding, and we were able
to be
at her side at the end on Sunday. Hers was a full life, ended
peacefully. She
will be sorely missed, but well remembered.
/end/
