Hi. Please broadcast this message.

My mother has passed away.

My mother lived just down the road from our church.

My mother was a widow, and remarried recently. She took the name of her second husband. Their marriage of only three years ended today with her death.

If you feel inclined to come by with some food, contact her husband's daughter- our official Baptist covered-dish coordinator.

The memorial service for my mom will be Thursday, May 15 at 2:00 PM. In lieu of flowers, we are asking for donations to the First Baptist Church of Decatur.

My mother was presumed to be healthy, and was just wrapping up an active week in which she spent a good deal of time with each of us in the extended family. Yesterday she met us for Mothers Day lunch at a restaurant, and we all went home around 1:30 pm. At 3:00 pm she collapsed and her husband called the ambulance to take her to Emory Hospital.

They determined that she was having a heart attack; investigation uncovered massive atherosclerosis and degradation of the cardiac arteries. While they attempted angioplasty, she had total congestive heart failure. After 20 minutes of heroic efforts the cardiac team restored signs of life and put her on a respirator. But by 9:00 pm it was clear that she would not recover. She was pronounced dead at 3:45 am this morning (Monday). She was 65.

Many of you who grew up around here may know her husband and his four children and seven grandchildren. Please pray for him and offer whatever support you can. He deeply, genuinely and dearly loved my mother, and I do not know how he'll survive without her.