| This tribute page is dedicated to my Aunt Linda who left this earth after losing her battle with cancer on December 20, 2001. Linda was actually my husband Jesse's aunt but I never felt that way. From the first time we met she always made me feel like a part of the family. It was just natural to call her my aunt, it was never your aunt Linda it was always just Aunt Linda. It was hard for me to watch her as she became more ill. She was going for treatment at the same place that my mom had gone when I was young. After losing my mom it was especially hard to watch someone else I loved going through the same thing and to see the medical community unable to help her. It became a personal mission to try to help her find something that would help her get well. Annie and I both scoured the internet looking for alternative therapies. There was so much information out there that it became discouraging, you just didn't know who to believe. I still have many cancer websites bookmarked on my computer that I thought had promising information and never got to research. I only got to know Linda for a year and a half but during that time she really inspired me. She was such a good person, she never complained about anything, even her illness. She just said there are so many others who have things even worse than I do. Just being around her made you want to be a better person. She always put others before herself. Even towards the end I had gone down to spend the day with her when I got a call from Emily's dad saying that she was sick and not going to school. The first thing Linda said was that I should go home and be with Emily, that it would be okay and she could find someone else to stay with her. I stayed with Linda though and am glad I was able to do that before she passed away. The greatest tribute to this wonderful woman though was on the night she passed away. She was at home and all of her family was there with her. There were probably 20 people there. We came at about 12:30 and we stayed the whole day until after she was gone. No one wanted to leave, we all wanted to be there with her until the absolute end. Her family was the most important thing to her and I believe that she knew we were all there. She waited until after everyone was there and even was able to have a pastor pray with her before she let go. It was the first time I was actually with someone when they died and yes, it was hard and very sad but you could not have made me leave for anything. What a tribute to have everyone you love with you at the end of your life. I can only hope that when it is my turn to leave this earth that I will be as blessed as she was. In closing I want to include a few poems I have found to be very special including one I wrote for her. Linda, we all love and miss you and we will never forget all you have taught us and how you have touched and inspired us, we love you. A million times we've missed you, A million times we've cried If love could have saved you, You never would have died. Things we feel most deeply, Are the hardest things to say. Our dearest one, we have loved you In a very special way. -Unknown God saw you were getting tired and a cure was not to be, So He put his arms around you and whispered "Come with me" With tearful eyes we watched you suffer, and saw you fade away. Although we loved you dearly we could not make you stay. A "golden heart" stopped beating, working hands put to rest, God broke our hearts to prove to us, He only takes the best. -Unknown "Angel on Earth" An angel got her wings today, she finally got to fly and those of us she's left behind,can only wonder why God must have had a greater plan than any of us can understand She was an angel on earth for many years and now we feel lost, and shed our tears But she was ready, she was not afraid she was always strong and always brave. Through treatments and Chemo she spoke of God's love She said "I have family on earth, and family above" So now she is gone, but just for awhile for there will come a day when once again we will see her sweet smile Until that day we will never forget the angel on earth who lived each day, in her quiet calm and peaceful way Goodbye to our wife, our sister, our friend, Our beloved Aunt Linda one day we will see you again. -Amy Bender 2001 Dedicated to Linda Spakovich |
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