November 2002 Updates on

Mary Beth's Journey

The following page contains updates regarding Mary Beth's Journey for November of 2002. Links to other pages: Home / Pictures / Mary Beth's Obituary October - 02 / December - 02 If you wish to contact Mary Beth's family, you may do so through contact us.   11-5-02 On Saturday, we all enjoyed a wonderful experience when we launched a new reading program for Mary Beth's Angels Foundation.  The initial program was started for the children at Our Little Haven with plans to expand it to multiple groups of underprivileged children.  The idea behind the program is to deliver a new book to a child who does not necessarily own any books.  Part of this delivery involves reading the book to or with the child in an effort to promote reading as an enjoyable experience.  Sheila, Barbie, Heidi, Will and I were joined by eight members of St. Joe's service organization Angels Helping Angels in this effort.  We spent time with three different groups of children, received lots of hugs and left with a sense of accomplishment.  If you have ideas of groups of children with whom we can expand this program, please email us. God bless you, Gerry 11-9-02 It was a typical day three years ago today until I received a call from Sheila informing me that she was en route with Mary Beth to Children's Hospital.  Before the evening was over, Mary Beth had undergone her first brain surgery.  Our lives changed forever that day.  We have received so many of God's blessings since then that it would take the rest of lives to articulate them.  We wish to thank all of you for your support that continues today.  We are doing well primarily because of the love expressed so often by so many. God bless you, Gerry 11-20-02 Happy Birthday Sheila! We celebrated Sheila's birthday today and enjoyed our time together as a family, albeit short.  Barbie was absent for the majority of the evening by attending a concert with Gerilyn Goeddel, who also celebrated her 17th birthday today.  Happy birthday G!  While I am recognizing birthdays today, we wish greetings to Jack Stapleton today as well.  Jack is the elder among those we know who were born on this day, but is still a kid at heart. Speaking of birthdays, we intend to carry on our tradition of hosting an open house for Mary Beth's birthday.  Her 17th Birthday Party Open House  It will be held on Saturday, December 7th (her birthday) starting at 6:00 PM.  The 5:00 PM mass at Our Lady of the Pillar will be dedicated to Mary Beth.  Feel free to join us at mass or drop by our home afterwards.  All are welcome that evening and you may stay as long as you wish.  If you desire to give a present to Mary Beth, we will gladly accept contributions to Mary Beth's Angels Foundation. God bless you, Gerry 11-25-02 If you have ever been ill or known someone who is ill, you understand how integral prayer is to the healing process - physically, mentally, and spiritually.  There is simply no greater force than the power of prayer.  We ask all of you to keep a friend of ours and his family in your prayers.  Bob Taggart is in his fourth week in the intensive care unit of St. John's Hospital with pseudomonas pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome and is in need of your prayers.  We certainly appreciate your efforts in praying for Bob and all who are ill in an effort to restore their health. God bless you, Gerry 11-30-02 Once a year we formally pause as a nation to give thanks for all we have in our lives.  As we do so, we are typically surrounded by friends and relatives in a festive atmosphere feasting and enjoying one another's company.  Last night, on the evening after Thanksgiving, we lost our friend Bob Taggart.  We thank the Lord for the gift of his smile, sense of humor, family and friendship.  With the loss of human life, we are all faced with the challenge of continuing on without that person in our lives.  We take solace in putting our faith in God's plan for each of us.  Although we do not understand it, we accept it until our day comes in which we will understand.  We thank God for all the blessings bestowed on our family and friends during the last year and ask him to look over Bob's family in providing comfort and healing in the days, weeks and months ahead. God bless you, Gerry   Home / Top of page / MB's Obituary / October - 02 / December - 02