The Final Years In Town
Though Sterling & Anita hated to sell the farm, they knew they had to. So, in the summer of 2006, they moved to Hikes Point closer to doctors and the various conveniences they needed. Though on a busy corner, Anita sometimes called the old house her "dream house".
She cultivated neighbors and worked her magic on her flowers. She turned an unattractive corner lot into her own colorful haven - gardening "therapy" as she called it.
The year before, in 2005, Howie & Linda quit their corporate jobs, sold their house and belongings, and bought an RV to live in while traveling North America. Anita was fully supportive and learned to use a computer at age 73 to keep up with their travels.
In the next few years, Sterling & Anita traveled to visit Howie & Linda, and to particpate in the various RV functions they put on.
They really looked forward to meeting all the RV friends of Howie & Linda and they embraced the community whenever they could.
Back in Hikes Point, Anita grew her flowers and Sterling grew his garden in the back yard. They made new friends that became "family" and Anita started attending a senior exercise class called "Forever Young Fitness" at a church down the street. She loved going twice a week and she met incredible new friends.
Besides her flowers, that was the one thing she really loved that she did for herself.
She was really doing well, and she got to spend a lot of time with her friend, Bob Hill, a former Courier Journal columnist. Bob wrote an article about her life called "Anita Payne - At Home On Floyds Fork".
For one of the few times in her life, she felt special and she was really happy.
Unfortunately, in 2013, she was diagnosed with lung cancer. Her years of smoking, her weak lungs, and her age made the diagnosis dire. She refused chemotherapy and reluctantly accepted radiation treatment. The treatment took a lot out of her, and she vowed that she would do no more testing or treatment of any kind in the future.
The radiation seemed to work and the family relaxed, although she became weak and could no longer do her gardening. That was devastating to her. In 2014, she took two bad falls and her health seemed to be failing. Upon admittance to the hospital for a severe cold or pneumonia, it was discovered that the cancer had returned and spread.
Since she wouldn't allow treatment, her condition deteriorated rapidly and after a six-week stay in the hospital, she passed peacefully in the care of Hospice.
She will be forever missed.