TO THOSE I LOVE AND THOSE WHO LOVE ME
WHEN I AM GONE, RELEASE ME, LET ME BE.
I HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO SEE AND DO.
YOU MUSTN'T TIE YOURSELF TO ME IN TEARS.
BE HAPPY THAT WE HAD SO MANY YEARS.
I GAVE TO YOU MY LOVE. YOU CAN ONLY GUESS
HOW MUCH YOU GAVE TO ME IN HAPPINESS.
I THANK YOU FOR THE LOVE YOU EACH HAVE SHOWN.
BUT NOW IT'S TIME I TRAVELED ON ALONE.
SO GRIEVE AWHILE FOR ME IF GRIEVE YOU MUST
THEN LET YOUR GRIEF BE COMFORTED WITH TRUST.
IT'S ONLY FOR A WHILE THAT WE MUST PART
SO BLESS THE MEMORIES WITHIN YOUR HEART.
I WON'T BE FAR AWAY, FOR LIFE GOES ON
SO IF YOU NEED ME, CALL ME I WILL COME
THOUGH YOU CAN'T SEE OR TOUCH ME, I'LL BE NEAR
AND IF YOU LISTEN WITH YOUR HEART, YOU'LL HEAR
ALL MY LOVE AROUND YOU SOFT AND CLEAR.
AND THEN, WHEN YOU MUST COME THIS WAY ALONE,
I'LL GREET YOU WITH A SMILE AND "WELCOME HOME"
Author Unknown
Linda
H
Our dear friend and fellow PBCer, Linda bravely battled 2 liver transplants and infection which ended her short life on Novemeber 12, l997. Even in the end, Linda was thinking of others and how she could help the PBCers. Linda was our friend and will be truly missed by all who knew her.
I know our PBC Angel is watching over us.
Mary
C
In a short time, we grew to love Mary through her daughter Loppy and mother Ann. Mary died April, 1998 due to complications shortly after she was diagnosed with PBC.
Thoughts and prayers are with Mary and her family.
JoAnne
Written by JoAnne's daughter Patti, in hopes it may help others.
A very sad story about our fellow PBCer who passed away August 13, l998.
JoAnne died at the age of 51 from End Stage Liver Disease. She was diagnosed in 1983 with PBC. In January 1998 her Gastro began the transplant list placement procedures. She was evaluated physically, emotionally and financially....all was a go. Mom was finally on a list.
She then discovered a lump in her breast during her regular monthly self exam and after biopsy was diagnosed with cancer. At that point Mom's status on the list was on hold as the Transplant surgeons told her she would have to be cancer free 1 full year from diagnosis.
In July Mom complained on several occassions to her doctor that her blood pressure was very low (70/30). Her doctor advised her that her blood pressure was normal for the stage of her disease. As mom entrusted him, she accepted that answer. The last week of July mom went to bed on a Sunday evening and was in a coma by morning. Her husband called an ambulance as he was unable to awaken her. Upon arrival of the paramedics 20 minutes or so passed as they were ignorant of the disease and questioned her husband as to how much mom drank, her husband then had to explain that PBC was an Auto Immune Disease that effects the liver..........they then were reluctant to handle mom as they feared she was HIV positive!
The paramedics treated my mother as a Drunk Aides patient with very little compassion to this disease. Mom was finally taken to the hospital and admitted to ICU in a hepatic coma. She was then discharged 7 days later, only three days after she came our of the coma.
I honestly believe her doctor was in over his head with her condition and too damn proud to admit it! After Mom was discharged my whole family set out to find a facility willing to help my mom. We mailed and faxed her medical records to literally every liver transplant facility in the United States. We heard a lot of " I am sorry but she has to be cancer free for 1-5 yrs) . Finally Northwestern Memorial in Chicago said that her condition and recent case of cancer was not a factor and that they would be willing to see her and to verify that the person in the records was JoAnne and to begin the tranplant procedure. We were all so excited as they told her that she had an appointment on 8/11/98 and to be prepared to stay there until after the transplant.
On 8/7/98 Mom went for her followup from the hospital admission and was put back in the hospital with renal failure. Due to the severity of her condition I contacted Northwestern and they agreed to evaluate mom thru the ER. Her doctor in AZ discharged her Friday am, she flew to Chicago and by evening was in evaluation for transplant. However upon admission they discovered Mom had pneaumonia, renal failure as liver ishemia. Mom was taken to ICU and died on 8/13/98.
The lesson everyone needs to learn from this case is that IF YOU think your doctor does NOT know what is happening and doing his best to help, then trust your gut feeling a find another doctor.
I honestly believe her doctor in AZ was in over his head with her condition and too damn proud to admit it!
Mom's death came way to early!
Mike
Mike was a very special man so many of the PBCers got to know over the months he was listed for transplant. He was kind, caring and humours.
Mike received his transplant August 1999 and passed away four days later due to lung and heart complications. He fought bravely to the end and will be truely missed by the PBCers.
Our deepest sympathies to his wife Dottie and family.
Ann S
My mother, Ann Sewell, has bravely suffered from PBC for about 13 years. Unfortunately, she lost her struggle yesterday, January 18, 2000.
Officially, she died of an infection, but her liver was beginning to fail. She was on the transplant list but deteriorated too quickly. She was 55 years-old.
I feel that she has been a pioneer of the disease here in Louisville, KY. She felt that medical science was improving each year and that a transplant was no guarantee. She wanted to live life with her liver as long as she possibly could. I think that the idea of a transplant overwhelmed her at this time.
She was a widow who lost her husband 11 years ago. She had raised her children and she was worn out from the disease. She had also told me that if she were to receive a liver and a younger person needed that liver, then she would want the younger patient to have it.
She continued to teach up until the third of January of this year. She was a wonderful teacher and was loved by many. She will be missed. I think she was the most courageous person ever.
In the future I hope to help with the search for a cure for this disease. God Bless all of you.
Sincerely
Patty Sewell Voss
Mae S
Mae passed away on January 25th. Mae loved to write poetry and sent the nicest poems at Christmas. She was a very special lady and I know that all of you who remember her feel as I do.
Our sympathies to her family, Anne B
This is the poem that was in her funeral service bulletin Morganton, NC
I'm Free
Don't grieve for me, for now I'm free
I'm following the path God laid for me.
I took his hand when I heard him call
I turned my back and left it all.
I could not stay another day
To laugh,to love, to work or play.
Tasks left undone must stay that way
I found that peace at close of day.
If my parting has left a void,
Then fill it with remembered joy.
A friendship shared, a laugh, a kiss
Ah yes, these things I too will miss.
Be not burdened with times of sorrow
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
My life's been full, I've savored much,
Good friends, good times, a loved one's touch.
Perhaps my time seemed all too brief,
Don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share it with me
God wanted me now, He set me
free.
Vickie L.
Vickie was diagnosed with PBC about a year ago and was put on the liver transplant list on Aug. 2nd 1999
On Sunday February 20, 2000 at 11:00pm we got the call, that they had found a liver for my wife. We got to Shands hospital in Gainesville Fla. where they prepared her for the transplant. It started about 8:30 am on Monday morning and was finished around 11:00am.
The operation was successful, the liver was functioning properly and they sent her to the S.I.C.U. About 20 min. later her heart began to slow down and she arrested not long after that. They brought her to S.I. and they got her heart back on a regular heartbeat again, but they were doing it with drugs and couldn't keep her on the drugs for long. They had to try to find the blockage so I gave them permission to do a balloon pump on her to try to open the blockage. When they got in they found her heart had significant damage on the right side. and she went into cardiac arrest again. This time they couldn't bring her back. Vickie passed away at 3:35pm February 21, 2000.
She was 39 years old. She was my wife, was the mother of our daughter, and was loved very, very much. She will not be forgotten.
I know she loved talking to the group and had talked to a few of you on a regular basis. Her America Online Account will stay active if any one would like to write her or her family. I'm sorry I don't know who she talked to personally but if you read this, please write back...
She is survived by her loving husband Bruce and daughter Jessica......
Helen S.
My mom, Helen Samson, passed away on September 8, 2000 after a long battle with PBC. She was 78. Diagnosed in 1991 at stage 4, she was given the added burden of liver and lung cancer at the end of June, 2000. Because she was 78 - and already so frail from her long battle with PBC, she opted not to even have a biopsy. Did not want even one more thing that would add to her discomfort, since it would not be of any significance in the end. However, her doctor suspects - as does the family - that the liver was the primary site for her cancer, as sometimes those with chronic liver illness are apt to get primary liver cancer.
Her last 2 months were a gradual but steady decline. But she was at peace with her fate, as she was a woman of great faith and knew that her physical death was only a new beginning. She lived every moment as fully as possible, surrounded by family and friends. She was dearly loved by all her knew her.
The PBCers had become an integral part of her last year of life - and I will be forever grateful for this wonderful group who showed her - and me - such love and compassion - and unwavering support. It was her hope that the group could continue to be a part of the research and education of PBC, and be instrumental in helping to find a cure for this horrible - and little understood illness.
Though her body had weakened so much over the years, she was such a tower of strength of the spirit - she just kept going, just kept fighting, just kept finding ways of looking on the bright side. She will be remembered especially as a woman of great love, grace, wit, and gentleness of spirit.
Helen will be sorely missed by her 3 children, 8 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren - and her many friends. She was an inspiration and example to us all.
In Memory of Mom
Oh Lord, we wonder what you have in mind
As she lays suffering so, and in such pain
How does she stay so sweet, and oh, so kind
Through all these years, such grace doth still remain.
The inner self abounds, entrapped inside
To shine forth, where clearly You reside.
Remembering days gone by in rushing waves
Joys of long ago, a life lived well
Precious moments, her mind so clearly saves
Adventures long gone by she lives to tell
But fleeting time, the clock will not stand still
It conquers body but cannot take her will.
But Gracious Savior, never do you fail
Your steadfast love in evidence so bright
Within her heart Your peace it doth prevail
Overcoming death, from dark to Light.
Her soft, sweet inner beauty moving on
To sing eternal praises to her Lord.
Oh Lord, we question not your sovereign ways
Such evidence you watch us all our days.
For this, we lift our praises to the sky
Thanking you for love in time gone by
Assured we'll meet again on some new morn'
Together lifting voices in sweet song.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Submitted by Judy Haas, daughter
(Judy H. in NJ)
Tom L.
We said goodbye to Tom yesterday, November 30, 2000 at about 5:35 p.m. Final farewell was Tues. Dec. 5th at Ascension Catholic Church at Prospect and Miller Sts. in Saratoga.
Tom had been ill with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis for a number of years. The team in Stanford ICU did everything they could, for that we are grateful . However, Tom's acute renal failure, liver disease,and infection were more than he could fight.
Tom was active member in the PBCers and raising money for the American Liver Foundation, PBC - Fund for a Cure. Tom will be greatly missed by us all.
George T.
George passed away June 14, 2001 around 4:15 AZ time. It was a very sudden thing and you could say he passed away doing what he loved.
He had left in the morning to attend a teaching workshop and while there, he started to feel weak and have abdominal pains. He was immmediately rushed to the hospital and went downhill from there. He started having problems breathing and his organs started shutting down. His arms started flailing as he tried to get air. His blood pressure had dropped to 60 and the nurses were giving him blood and oxygen. They administered CPR but it didn't work.
It was very sudden (it happened within 20 minutes) and we feel he probably didn't know he was dying. The doctor's said he most likely did not suffer from a heart attack and it was all tied into his liver problems. He did not suffer long and his death was mercifully quick. My mother and I tend to feel that he concealed how sick he really was in order to keep us from worrying.
I felt I should write all of you on this list because in the short time he was on here, he learned a lot and got to know several of you. He had been very much looking forward to meeting with you at the convention next week. We are still planning the memorial service. George will be cremated and his skin, tissue and eyes are being donated.
Joyce M. Ploetz
Joyce passed away July 24, 2001 after battling PBC for over 10 years. Services were held July 26, 2001 at Brettschneider-Trettin-Lederer F.C. in Appleton, Wisconsin. Joyce will be truely missed by her family and friends.
Pat Nelson
Passed away October, 2001. She fought the disease for 20 years. A memorial webpage has been set up in Pat's honor by her granddaughter Susan.
Olga Shellogg
Olga passed away quietly on December 14, 2001
Her daughters, Jackie, Bonnie, Joyce, Bobbi and Michele miss her tremendously
My Mother
You painted no Madonnas
On Chapel walls in Rome;
But with a touch diviner,
You lived one in your home.
You wrote no lofty poems
That critics counted art;
But with a nobler vision,
You lived them in your heart.
You carved no shapeless marble
To some high soul design;
But with a finer sculpture,
You shaped this soul of mine.
You built no great cathedrals
That centuries applaud;
But with a grace exquisite
Your life cathedraled God.
Had I the gift of Raphael
or Michelangelo;
Oh, what a rare Madonna
My Mother's life would show.
Author unknown
The day my mother died I was enroute to Pittsburgh to be at her hospital sick bed. I was unaware that she had already passed away as I boarded my plane in Atlanta. As the captain announced our arrival into the Pittsburgh Airport, I glanced out my window and saw a beautiful rainbow in the sky.
Earlier that morning (6:00 a.m) before going to the Atlanta airport, I had stopped at work to finish a project. I parked in my building parking deck. When I completed my work I got into my car to drive to the Atlanta airport. Upon approaching my car, however, I saw that someone had put a plastic inspiration card on my windshield. The title on this card was "Look for the Rainbow." I took this card off my windshield and hurriedly threw it into my purse, barely glancing at it. The moment I saw that rainbow in the sky, I pulled this card out of my purse.
Here's what it read:
Look for the Rainbow
Look for the rainbow when things go awry
And remember the beauty you've seen in the sky --
Reflect on its promise and think, as you do,
Of the joy and the hope that are waiting for you --
For rainbows are simply reminders we see
Of God's endless love for you and for me.
by Emily Matthews
It is very unusual to see a rainbow in the middle of December in Pittsburgh. The person who put this card on my car is a security guard who works in my building. I did not know her at that time.
Why this particular card on this particular day and on my car, I don't know. But the peace that came over me as I read the message was amazing. I knew at that moment that my mom was finally free from her earthly struggles.
The guard who put this on my car, I refer to her as an angel and this as a small miracle.
Joyce Colosi
Marian Moyer
Our beloved Marian passed away January 2002 after a long battle with PBC.
Marian was one of the first members to join the PBCers. She was the organization's Treasurer, a member of our Executive Committee and Speakers Committee. Marian was always willing to help her friends and fellow PBCers. She will be missed by us all.
Joann McFadden
Joann passed away January 2002.
Stella
Stella passed away February 2002 after battling PBC for 8 years.
Jean Ann G.
Jean passed away April 2002
Audrey Royston with husband Don
A MEMORIAL TRIBUTE TO AUDREY ROYSTON
Aud was a very lovely, caring person who was loved, respected and admired by so many people. She was born in Durban, South Africa on 20th January 1929 and came from a simple background and, after excelling at school, found a partner to love and cherish and with whom to share her life. She loved nature, wild life , birds, sport, travel and she always had pets to care for and love.
Aud was a very keen student and practitioner of yoga and spent nearly forty years involved with the study and practice of the art. She received instruction from the renowned
Guru, B K S Iyenga, twice in India and twice in Swaziland. She qualified as an instructor and ran her own classes for some time. There is no doubt she received her spiritual strength from yoga.
On 12 July 2003 Aud’s seventy four years of life on this planet came to an end in St Anne’s hospital, Pietermaritzburg.
She was diagnosed with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis in 1985 and was given five years to live. Despite the difficult symptoms of this disease she lived life to the fullest without allowing a single moment to pass without enjoying it to the full. Audrey fought a very brave and stoic battle against PBC and lived thirteen years beyond the medical prognosis until she succumbed to an unrelated problem.
Aud was a very special person who was loved by all who knew her. She loved life and had a lot to live for and she was not ready to die. Right up to the time she was admitted to hospital she was planning to host a garden tea party, at her home, for the elderly folk and had plans to visit a game park in a few months time and the US and Peru in 2004.
Aud and Don had a long and wonderful relationship for fifty five years and raised two wonderful children and have five grand children, all of whom adored her.
Aud had a fantastic imagination and an amazing gift for telling fairy stories, some of her own making, which enthralled all children, young and old alike. Many recall with love, affection and admiration their “adventures” to Neverland with Aud - “second to the right, and straight on till morning.” She was the oldest child of them all.
And now there’s one more angel in heaven
Ellen (Olmsted)
Kottwitz
1939 -1999 Aug 13, 2004
Ellen was born March 23, 1939 in Bonne Terre, MO, the daughter of Myron & Leona Olmsted. Her twin brother, Myron David, died at birth. She had 2 older brothers, George and Charles. As a child she loved to watch birds and wished she could fly! Singing was 2nd nature to her, and her lovely alto voice brought harmony to various choral groups in high school and nursing school as well as many church choirs through the years.
At age 16, she was stricken with Bell's Palsy, which was really scary at the time, causing her facial muscles to droop; but she recovered and was homecoming queen when she was a senior.
She was married to Cleo Kottwitz on Valentine's Day, Feb 14, 1960, and received her R.N. degree from St. Luke's Hospital School of Nursing in St. Louis in Sept 1960. She loved nursing and worked in numerous hospitals and county health departments through the years. From 1980 to 1984 she was head nurse of the OB/GYN department of Audrain Med Center, Mexico, MO and in 1987 gave leadership to organize a pre-natal clinic for Phelps Co in Rolla, MO.
She was the mother of 3 children, John, Ann, and Mark and grandmother of 8: Krista, Andrew, Christopher, Shane, Lindsay, Sarah, Tanner, and Heather.. Actually Heather was born a few months after Ellen's death. One of Ellen's special gifts was listening to people…of all ages and conditions….hearing and responding to their feelings as well as their words, encouraging and building up people who turned to her. Her great strength was relationships, and she fulfilled them all remarkably: daughter, sister, wife, mother, grandmother, friend, coworker, caregiver/counselor.
In the fall of 1991 her dentist recommended gum surgery. After the surgery she recovered very slowly…could hardly get back to work…felt exhausted all the time.. After 6-8 weeks Cleo insisted she get a complete checkup. Blood tests revealed liver enzymes very high. The Dr thought the blood samples must have been mixed up…this could not be Ellen! So they did them again…it was true. So she referred Ellen to a specialist (gastroenterologist) and there were more tests. In early June, 1992, she was diagnosed as stage 4 PBC (which nurse Ellen had never heard of). Dr said, "In about 5 yrs you'll be a good candidate for liver transplant." That was a huge blow. She could always see the positive side of things, but this was a real struggle for Ellen.
The gastro Dr referred her to the PBC research program at Barnes-Jewish Hosp in St. Louis, and in Dec. 1992, she was accepted into the program; she had her first liver biopsy and started on the research meds. For the next 2 yrs there were quarterly trips to the PBC clinic headed by Dr. Marian Peters. When that program completed in 2 yrs, she started another one, 3 yrs, to test another drug combination. She had successful gall bladder surgery in Dec., 1994.
It was a life of struggling with itching and exhaustion and lots of meds (for someone who had always been healthy and caring for others) and quarterly trips to hospital. But she made the most of it and continued her working and enjoying family and singing in church choir and household chores and support for Cleo's work as pastor. She hosted lots of groups in their home as well as prepared countless dishes for bereavement meals and pot luck suppers; and when Cleo needed posters or banners, he always turned to his 'artist in residence.'
In the meantime, Ellen's mother was aging and alone, so she came to live with Ellen and Cleo during the winter months of '92, '93, 94….and in the spring of '95 had to move into an assisted living residence which Ellen negotiated arrangements and went to see her a least weekly the next 2 yrs.
1997 was a critical year. There was so much stress. In preparation for Cleo's retirement in June, they were having a new home built about 150 miles away, which required numerous trips and lots of planning and decision making. Plus her mother was declining in health and Ellen had to arrange for her to move back and forth between assisted living and nursing home. They retired and moved into their new home in June, and a month later 'Grandma' moved in with them Seven weeks later she died peacefully in their home and Ellen had responsibility for making all the death arrangements and settling the estate. In the meantime, oldest brother George had been battling colon cancer for 2 yrs and he died 3 weeks after his mother…in AL…requiring 2 quick trips, 8 hrs each way in September, '97.
Two weeks after his death, Ellen was diagnosed with bleeding varices of the esophagus, and that was the beginning of her decline. In November she began breaking out with a terrible, burning skin rash, which took weeks to diagnose (SCLE…a skin form of lupus) and months to get under control. Heavy doses of prednisone and plaquinel (a derivative of quinine) were required. The dermatologist insisted she stay out of the sun; and for one who loved the sun and outdoors, Ellen felt like a prisoner in her new house …had to wear special sun resistant clothing and lots of sun screen and had to buy a new car with tinted windows. In the spring of 1998 she was transferred from the PBC research program to transplant list.
She had another round of skin problems in the fall of '98. It was never diagnosed even by all the dermatologists in 'grand rounds' at Barnes-Jewish; eventually it diminished. During '98 Ellen and Cleo began attending liver transplant support group meetings and learned about the possibility of 'living donor' transplant in which the right lobe of the liver is removed from a healthy person and used to replace the PBC diseased liver. In Mar 99 they met with one of the transplant surgeons to discuss it. Cleo offered to provide the right lobe of his liver. The surgeon's first response was: "you're too old" (64) But then said if he was healthy and didn't smoke or drink, he might be acceptable. Some time in this process they met again with Dr Peters, who had given such good care during the research program. When Cleo asked her advice for the transplant surgery, she responded: "Mr Kottwitz, at this stage Ellen has a 95% chance of recovery; but the 5% who die are 100% dead." In April and May they both went through a variety of tests, and on June 8, were approved for transplant surgery; the date would be July 16.
It was a time of deeply mixed emotions. It was scary but also exhilerating. Ellen was concerned that the surgery not be harmful to Cleo. Children and grandchildren were anxious; but everyone was so hopeful that Ellen could be well again and not have to decline to near death status to qualify for a regular transplant. The surgeon reported that to that date all who had received the right lobe living donor transplant had survived. It all seemed so positive.
Strangly when Ellen and Cleo went to the hospital on Th evening, July 15, they found no paper work or room awaiting them. But eventually they got it worked out and both were in the same room. That evening friends and family gathered for a time of prayers and annointing for healing Next morning much to everyone's surprise, and the chief surgeon's chagrin, no surgery room was prepared for their surgeries. Cleo was about to postpone the surgery until a time when they were prepared, when they came for him to be first in surgery. (Many times later he wished he had postponed it, but when he confronted the surgeon, he was assured that had no affect on Ellen's death.)
Actually, the surgery went well for both of them. And on the 2nd day after surgery, in spite of the pain of walking, Ellen was making fun of herself as she often did: "Look, I'm doing the Tim Conway shuffle!" And on Monday, Ellen and Cleo met for a time in her recovery room with other family members present to celebrate the 40th anniversary of their meeting, July 19, 1959..
Already at that time she was having trouble breathing, and a few hours later she was transferred to ICU and sedated to help her relax. She was diagnosed with 'sepsis' a severe infection that attacked her lungs and then spread to other organs. It was obvious the chief surgeon was committed to saving her and for three weeks they tried everything. Each week she would begin to rally and then decline again; she never regained consciousness. Finally at 6:20 am, Aug 13, 1999, the surgeon called Cleo, who was recovering from his surgery at their daughter's home, and reported there was nothing more they could do and suggested the time had come to disconnect the life support machines and allow her to die.
So they gathered and hugged each other…they sang favorite songs and cried…they offered prayers and held hands and cried…they said good-bye to one who loved them all so dearly. She was the center…the heart of the family…everything revolved around her
May she be at home with God now and for all eternity…may she sing with joy in the angelic choir of the church triumphant….and may her love continue to grow and encourage all who knew and loved her..
Carolynne Lewis
Carolynne was a very special PBCer who was loved and will be greatly missed. Read the Leader Times article "Living donor hopes others will do a kind deed for others."
Sarah Jane
Kiley (Click Angel
to view picture)
June 30, 2006 Newspaper Obituary
Shortly before 3 a.m. on Thursday, June 29th, Sarah Jane Kiley, age 47, lost her eight year battle with Primary Biliary Cirrhosis, an autoimmune liver disease. She had been under the care of the Cleveland Clinic since March 17, 2006.
Sarah had three main passions: family, the PBCers, and her real estate career. She was also known to dabble in politics and was a lifelong Democrat.
Sarah is preceded in death by her father Manuel Sobel, maternal grandparents Helen and David Friedburg, paternal grandparents Pauline and Isaac Sobel, sister-in-law Margaret Simione, mother- and father-in-law Jean and David Kiley. She is survived by her loving husband, Richard; daughters, Jordan and Rebekah; mother, Ruth Sobel; brothers, Michael (Kathy) Sobel, and Daniel (Shelley) Sobel; sisters, Deborah Sobel, and Elizabeth Sobel. Also including many beloved aunts and uncles, cousins, in-laws, nephews and nieces, family, and friends around the world.
When she was diagnosed with PBC eight years ago, Sarah almost immediately became involved in the PBC support network. She was a strong advocate for both the PBCers organization and the American Liver Foundation, helping hundreds to find the health care they deserved. She treated each person she encountered as family, and they in turn made her a part of their extended family.
Real estate was also a passion. Sarah loved helping people create a home. People who were her clients were more than that; they too became members of her extended family, and friends for life. Her personal relationships with her clients enabled her to have a successful career in which she received numerous awards and honors.
Sarah lived life to the fullest. She was a compassionate giver, who loved her friends dearly. She was always ready to lend a helping hand, a piece of good advice, or her support. Whatever she did, she gave it her all. Her interests ranged from roller skating to political campaigns, as well as inspiring those around her. She believed in free thinking and encouraged it in others. When someone wasn't getting treated fairly, Sarah spoke up.
Her presence will be sorely missed in Rubinos, Cup O Joes, and all her favorite hang outs.
Funeral service 3:30 p.m. Sunday, July 2, 2006 at THE EPSTEIN MEMORIAL CHAPEL, 3232 E. Main Street. Shiva will be observed at the Kiley residence in Bexley.
Memorial contributions preferred to PBCers Organization, 1430 Garden Road, Pearland, Tex. 77581.
Online guestbook at www.epsteinmemorial.com