Sad, Sad Day

Thursday, February 19th JoAnn Ruth Reimer Butler was called to her heavenly home. She was my boss at Denver Middle School. What a caring lady, principal, boss, and friend! I remember a time or two that she tried to match me up with some guy before I started dating Terry. Oh and the fun we had in the middle school with and for her. Sometimes Terry thought we were a little crazy and maybe we were and still are.

In the fall of 2006, Jo was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had the spot removed and started chemotherapy. In February of 2007, she was in the hospital for a lengthy stay and they found cancer in her digestive tract. She started a pill form of chemo for the cancer in her small intestines and after finishing that she had radiation for her initial breast cancer. Then she retired from her principal job at the end of last school year. They found that the cancer had come back in the abdominal wall and she went back on chemo. She did take a trip to visit two of her three kids in August of 2008. Chemo was continued until November at which point she stopped the IV treatments and started the pill form again. At the beginning of February, she was put in the hospital for build up of fluid in her abdomin at which point they found that the chemo wasn't doing what they had hoped. She stopped chemo and they called in hospice. She spent her last days at home with her husband and three children.

I know that it will be hard for her children and husband, but I also know that she is now free of pain. May God help them through the days, weeks, months, and years ahead. Jo will be greatly missed!