06/18/2023
Please excuse the long post, but this needs one.
Laura Elizabeth Ross, 42, passed away peacefully at the CarePartners Solace Center on June 17th at 7:46... three days after my birthday, the day after my father's internment service at Bethel Presbyterian in Middlebrook, VA, and 13 days before our 11th anniversary on June 30th.
I was with her alone, although our Pastor, Marcia, and good friend, Alison, were close by. I appreciated them giving me space and quiet to be alone with Laura at that moment. I still felt the support.
As Laura passed, the sunset was streaming through the window, gently casting moving shadows on her face... the spirit in motion as Laura experienced her metamorphosis. For some time Laura was planning to write about her journey back to health, and had already picked the title "Metamorphosis." It was appropriate that I was wearing a shirt from the Butterfly Wonderland in Phoenix.
Laura was only at the Solace Center for just less than 30 hours, but while there was taken care of with compassion and kindness. I was happy to see her comfortable and cared for so well. While there we even had a harpist outside her room. Messino Cancer Center was also wonderful. Dr. Baru demonstrated his compassion for his patients as always. I am sure that Dr. Raab would have been there if she could.
Please do not just send condolences if possible. Instead...
Send me stories of when you met Laura, or something you remember that demonstrated her kind, sweet, gentle spirit. I want memories of her that I will always wish I had more of. You can also just post affirmations.... which Laura loved using as a way to put her into positive intention of mind.
Instead of sending flowers, go outside and smell the flowers in your own yard or better yet, anywhere. Laura always did... every time she happened upon some that captivated her attention. She found joy in simple moments like that.
If you want to give, consider donating to the Laura Ross (Memorial) Fund at our church, GCPC. Although we still have some outstanding bills, the remainder of the fund will help others that are going through the financial difficulites/uncertainties of medical care for cancer or other diseases. You can find the link and directions to the fund at laurarossfund.com.
I am starting a new project (benefitdiscs.com) that merges disc golf with charities/benefits/fundraisers for individuals and causes. In the disc golf world, when a person dies, often a few of their discs (putters) are passed from course to course by players leaving the discs in the last basket. Some discs travel for months/years and across the country. I had one with me that I played with in NC, TN, OK, NM, and AZ. I planned to leave it in Arizona when we started driving home, but it is still there in our car. My new benefitdiscs.com site has very little done on it... but I hope to launch it with a local "Throw Pink" tournament next month in July. My efforts will support the Laura Ross Fund and/or TNBC Foundation. Please contact me if you want to support that effort directly. Eventually, I will need matching sponsors for some of my ideas.
My life will never be the same. I (and all of us) have lost the most amazing, gentle, positive, passionate and influential person in my life. But, her influence will be with me for the rest of my days. I will see her in every monarch butterfly, and smell her in every fragrant flower. She will never be far from my thoughts. She was, and always will be my love.
