Early in July, Mel and I drove to Hanford, California, to visit Mel’s cousin Patricia. I first met Patricia about 10 years ago when Mel, the kids and I visited California and Mel’s Aunt Mildred and her daughter, Patricia. Patricia and I hit it off. The kids loved her. She was dynamic and hilarious. She was an artist. She played piano at her church and for the high school show choir. She also played oboe and cello. Patricia wrote poetry, and she painted and sketched. She made sculptures and did pottery. A remarkable artist.

For the past 10 years or so, Patricia and I stayed in touch. I visited her a few times when I was in California on business. We would message each other when there was a California earthquake. She’d let me know when she felt the tremors. We traded music and movie suggestions. She told Mel and me about Tchaikovsky’s Violin Concerto…absolutely beautiful.

Patricia phoned me on a Wednesday night in June to say she was having cancer surgery the next day. I called her two days later to see how she was doing post-surgery. She said they didn’t do the surgery. Instead, she was being placed in hospice. She told me she was going to heaven. I asked if we could come see her and she wanted that for sure.

Mel and I weren’t sure of any details or how long Patricia would live but thought it best to get out there sooner than later. We drove over the weekend of July 4 and arrived in Hanford on Monday, July 5. Patricia was alert and able to talk to us. We laughed together. We talked about music. We bought her mashed potatoes and gravy from KFC (at her request). As it turned out, that was her last meal.

Patricia had a friend Peggy who took care of her finances and other practical matters. Peggy, who attended church with Patricia, told us in a quiet moment that when Patricia was placed in hospice, the hospice chaplain visited with her. Patricia told the chaplain that she believed in God but thought Jesus was merely a prophet. This was disconcerting to Mel and me. Jesus is the Son of God. He is God. The only way to heaven is through Jesus. “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) On our way to California, we listened to Pastor Moody’s message on Hebrews 10:22. Look to Jesus, he said. Have full assurance in Jesus. The truth is simple, and Mel and I knew what we had to do.

Monday was the only day that we got any verbal responses from Patricia, the only day she spoke to us. She declined in health as the week progressed. We focused our time praying with her, reading Scripture, and speaking truth. Mel sang a hymn or two. We told Patricia that Jesus was her Savior. We said that Jesus was God. We told her to submit to Jesus. I played some music for her…Tchaikovsky and Mendelsohn.

We met Patricia’s brother, whom Mel hadn’t seen since the late 1960s. We helped clean out her apartment. On Thursday, there was a mild earthquake. I was in one room cleaning and Patricia was in another. I went to her to let her know there was a quake, but I didn’t get a response. Regardless, God allowed us to share a quake together. Such a joy for me. Mel and I left on Thursday evening. We prayed with Patricia and talked to her. I kissed her on the forehead and said, “Goodbye sweet one.” Patricia let out a little groan. She could still hear us.

We were driving through Wyoming on Saturday, July 10, when Peggy called. Patricia passed away that morning. Peggy said that when Patricia was first in hospice, she asked if their pastor would visit. Peggy said that pastor was on an extended vacation and was out of state. When the pastor got back into town, he checked his messages. He didn’t know Patricia was in hospice. He came right over on Saturday morning and spent time with Patricia, reading Scripture and praying with her. The pastor finished his prayer and went to the next room to meet with her brother. A caregiver went back in to check on Patricia and she had passed away.

July 12 would have been Patricia’s 77th birthday. She missed it by a couple days. Earlier in the week we had a cake for her and sang Happy Birthday with her friends and neighbors. Perhaps we’ll celebrate with her again in heaven. We’re not certain if she submitted to Jesus in her final days. We are certain we did the right thing by visiting her and speaking the simple truth of Jesus to her.