On November 23, 2011 my dear mother, Margaret "Margie", left us to go to her heavenly home.
She had suffered from dementia (Alzheimer's) for many years, struggling to hold on to what she once knew with ease.
She was in the care of my family for the last four and a half years, and I can assure you that she never lost her gracious attitude, nor her sense of humor. She never failed to say "thank you" for even the smallest thing I, or anyone else, did for her. Even in the last weeks of her life, she still used humor to put others at ease.
Her faith, that was always an example to all of her family, was still strong. She saw angels and dearly missed family members gathered around her bed a few days before she left us, and was so happy to be going with them, soon. She received her final Holy Communion while she could still swallow and speak.
We will miss her, dearly, but rejoice in her heavenly homecoming.
Merry Christmas and a Joyous and Blessed New Year,
Ann Elise Griese Brandl
Dear family and friends,
I hope that this finds you all well.
This has been a year filled with love, faith, sorrow and joy.
Meg graduated from University of Alabama in August (May graduation was delayed due to the tornado that devastated parts of Tuscaloosa), then headed off for adventure and graduate school at Notre Dame.
Matt and Mike are both in high school - and all of the kids are taller than me, now. They are active in the band and Robotics, and Matt is also in the Chess club and on the Quiz Bowl team, as well as being First Consul in Latin club. They will be marching in the Chick-fil-A Bowl game and parade for New Year's.
John has been terribly busy with work, but still manages to keep the yard looking beautiful, the cars in running order and basically doing everything to take care of us. He put in a lot of hours with the Band Boosters, working all of the home games to give his support to the band, too. We celebrated 30 years of wedded bliss, this year. I am continually blessed to be married to the love of my life.
I have been almost totally occupied with caring for Mother, whose Alzheimer's became much worse this year. She passed away the day before Thanksgiving. We are grateful for her release from pain and the misery that losing her memory brought her, but she is so dearly missed. As so much of my time and attention was focused on her and her care, I am somewhat at a loss. I plan to return to work in the laboratory (if any Med Tech jobs are available) or back in the parish school system in the near future.
Her funeral served as a time to remember her, but also to celebrate her life and to celebrate our remaining family. Most of my siblings and nieces and nephews, and even an Aunt and Uncle in their 80s made the trip to Shreveport, and despite our loss, we had a wonderful time of connecting and sharing our love for one another.
We wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Joyous and Blessed New Year!
Love,
John, Annie, Meg, Matt and Mike
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