I am at a loss to attempt to describe the pain and void in my life and in my heart!. It is so very hard to keep on trying to function in this vile world. The pain from your death has changed me and my life in ways so many cannot understand. My joy is gone, I seldom laugh as I used to do. I have no desire to keep on any longer.  The pain overwhelms me and there are constant painfrl memories since Alan married the person he did and built his home so close to us. Seeing them drive past our home is almost more than I can bear.  Knowing things I know now that you were enduring and had dealt with before clouds my mind. Why??? Why did you tolerate his behavior instead of kicking him out??? I raised you and Wendy to be so strong and iindependent but, to know we were ALWAYS going to be there for help. It hurts to realize what fools we were to openly trust someone who was so deceitful!!! We opened our home and family to him for your sake....only to have him take you away from us and keep such secrets!!!  Secrets and deceit that took you away from us forever!!!! I miss and love you so much!!! Fly high our beautiful butterfly!

There are no words to describe the heartache I feel tonight.  Each Thursday is so difficult for me & I can't seem to overcome that.  My darling daughter I have changed so much in so many ways.  I don't feel like the same "Mamma" you knew & loved.  My hurt & disbelief along with the hurt from Casey hurts me so much everyday.  I go to bed thinking about you, Wendy, Casey & Wendy's little ones.  Though they bring me such joy & happiness, I HURT & cry for the loss of you & Casey.  I NEVER thought I would have to deal with this in my lifetime.  How wrong I was!!!! I miss Casey & he has left us.  He needs our help & love so much but he relies on a family of liars, heartless, & unsavory people!!!!  I have tried & you know that but I no longer know what to do.  Each night I pray for GOD to help me & to help mend my heart~but the broken heart is beyond repair.  When & If I ever get to heaven I am going to add another question to my list to ask GOD~~~Why did you leave me so long to endure so much?  What a difficult life I have had & now dealing with the loss of  one of miracles from HIM I have a hurt so deep will I ever be anything like the "old me" again??? You are always on my mind & forever in my heart!! I love & miss you so much "Sis."

We were blessed with 2 wonderful daughters, our miracles from GOD.  We enjoyed them so much & loved them as much as our hearts could hold.  One quit college to get married & live a military life.  She was a wonderful mother & excellent wife!!!

Though you had a chronic illness we feared would take you from us that was not the cause.  You suffered so much, endured so much pain & surgeries to keep on "keeping on" and make sure you were ALWAYS there for Casey & anyone else who needed you.  I have gotten so many nice messages & cards with stories for a journal I am writing about you & your kindness & concern for others.  Many times I sat by your bedside while you were hospitalized or ill.  I would pray with all my heart that GOD would help you recover & HE did.  No matter how many  complications you suffered from this illness kept mounting you were always busy, working, doing crafts, or helping someone else.

We knew your heart had been broken before but thought all was well.  If we had only known we would have done anything to help you get away from your other problems,.  You were deceived, disrespected, & sad because you were not loved by others close to you who should have loved & respected you above all others .

Your death has changed Dad, Wendy, & me in so many ways.  There are no words to  express how much we love you & how much pain we feel from our loss.

You are always on our minds, forever in our hearts.  We love you & miss you more each day.  Definitely, you are "Gone Too Soon."

Love,

Dad & Mom

You loved chilren so much & always wanted at least 3 but GOD had other plans. You only had a son but you made up for that when you became "Auntie Christy" to Alex.  You started buying toys & clothes when Wendy told you she was pregnant.  A surprise trip to your home in Hawaii was the hightlight of your time there when David, Wendy, & Alex came to visit you & Casey.  You were smitten from the first picture.  Your heart swelled with pride & you had her pictures all over the house.  When you move to "The Cape" you got to see her more often.  You loved hearing her yell "Auntie" and "Cousin Casey."  She had you wrapped around her finger from the very first moment. So many great memories to all of us.  Then, you found out you were going to have a nephew~~you were "Over the Moon."  You made sure you started shopping for him right away & you didn't forget Alex at all.  We had big plans for us to all be there for the birth of this little one but none of could have imagined how those plans would be changed forever!

You were gone before we knew it, no time to say goodbye, Only GOD knows WHY!!!  Our hearts are broken & we will NEVER be the same.  We wish you could have stayed to spend time with Zane & more with all of us!!!

Alex  calls you her "guardian angel" & sleeps with your picture under her pillow.  She kisses you goodnight before she goes to sleep every night, but you know that don't you???

I know you can see how much we are hurting & missing you.  We were looking forward to so many memories to come. Our family chain is broken but one day we will all be together again.  Until then, you are always on our minds, forever in our hearts.  We love you so much our butterfly!!!  Dad, Mom, Wendy, David, Alex, & Zane.

Christy enjoyed being the "older" sister, although she was only 1 year older than Wendy.  She felt she always had to look out for Wendy she didn't realize how strong Wendy was until Christy was so proud of her & helped out with so much during this time.  She was so happy to be Wendy's "matron of honor" when she got married &  never considered anyone else but Wendy to be her "maid of honor" when she got married.  She was so proud of all Wendy's accomplishments and LOVED being a loving "Auntie Christy" to Alex her niece.  She was anxiously awaiting the birth of her nephew Zane & was planning to be there for his birth.  We were all looking forward to being together for Christmas this year and spending more time together after Alan's retirement.  How sad she didn't live to do so many things she wanted to do with her family!!  We know she is with us in spirit & Alex calls her "her angel". She told me "Auntie Christy is in heaven & is my angel.  She won't let any monsters get me because she will protect me.  I miss Auntie Christy & I still love her so much."  What beautiful words from such a little one.  Maybe that is why children meant so much to Jesus.  She had gone shopping for some things for Zane the day before she died & had a box ready to send to him when she died.  What a special sister & loving "auntie."  Always on our minds, forever in our hearts.  I miss you so "SIS" you were special in so many ways.  I love you my beautiful daughter.

You were a caring & loving mother and Casey was your priority.  You had the job of raising him because of Alan's job and you relished in the role of his mom.  What a great job you did.  He never wanted or needed anything because you took  such care of him.  You would always ask me to help you when you were sick to get better to see Casey graduate.  Sadly, that was not to be.  Not due to your illness but to a senseless & foolish act.  However, anyone who knew you throughout all your travels as a military wife always said; "Casey is/ was her llife.   You got him a job at the base, made sure you kept your promises about him coming home to WV  so  he could spend time with Wendy & us.  Not only were you his friend taking him to concerts, Nascar events & soccer games you were his biggest fan!  You always wanted the best for him.  He will miss you so much in his life when he realizes all he has lost!! Truly a  great mother,  "GONE TOO SOON!   I am   proud of you my daughter & Casey's mom.

What a special & wonderful daughter you were & your family meant the world to you. Though you had to travel due to Alan's job you never forgot your family here and your beloved West Virginia.  You told me that as soon as you got onto the turnpike and saw the beautiful trees you knew you "were home."  We missed you so much but did everything we could to travel & spend time with you & Casey as often as we could.  Casey used to tell everyone we lived "at the airport" because you picked us up there so often when you lived too far away to drive.  I miss our conversations my daughter, my friend.  I miss the sound of your laughter & smile.  I find myself starting to the phone to call you and then remember you are not there.  Your Dad faithfully called you & Wendy  more than once a week.  He loves his "girls" and would do anything to protect & help both of you. He is so sad he couldn't protect you this time and so am I.  Wendy is lost without you "because Christy has always been there; how can she not be now?"Alex  says "Auntie Christy is an angel now & she watches over Zane & me to keep us safe. but I miss her so much." We all love & miss you our butterfly angel.  Always on our minds, forever in our hearts.   

Christy married too young we felt, of course, as her parents.  We wanted her to finish college, get settled into a solid career, & enjoy life.  But, she found someone she loved & got married.  Through this marriage she was fortunate enough to travel and live so many different places.  She had her son in 1992 & we were so excited to have a grandson.  We would travel any distance to see them and spend time with them. But Christy had a special gift for making friends no matter where she lived.  No matter where their travels took them she made friends, lasting memories, & earned respect from those she befriended.  She was always there for a friend to help & always appreciated any help she received.  She gave of her time, her talents, her sense of humor, most of all, her love & concern.  She would listen when they needed an ear, cry with them when they shed tears, laugh with them when they were happy, and was a genuine friend no matter what the situation.  Many of those friends and even acquaintances have contacted me to share stories of Christy & her kind deeds , compassion, & her sense of humor. 

How blessed we were to have her the time we did but I selfishly wish I could have had her longer.  How sad to think of all the secret hurt she kept inside. How wonderful to know she is with God & those who have gone before she missed so much.  She will always be on my mind, forever in my heart, & forever missed.  Gone Too Soon!!!!

MOM

Christy worked to pay the insurance & gas money for her car and never complained about working.  She was always a hard worker and good employee. She again, made many friends through her work.  She was versatile and could learn quickly. Whe was a great multi-tasker and her managers would always want her to stay and not leave when she found a different or better paying job.

She never got into any trouble and was very responsible.  She and her sister earned our respect & trust and they respected us as their parents.  We tried to instill the importance of trust, truth, honor, respect, but most of all love.  We loved our children and they were our life.  We enjoyed them & spending time together.  We have many memorable stories of our vacations, camping, & travelling.  We were always the happiest when we were doing things together.  We were blessed with daughters who knew and understood that nothing comes easily in life and you have to work to find happiness and you have to have love in your life.

The worst times in my life were when our daughters left home to pursue their own lives.I thought my heart would break when they left home and I selfishly wanted them to stay with us forever.  Now, after Christy's death I wish that more than ever.  I wish she had NEVER left home.  I can't believe she is gone and I will never hear her voice again, laugh with her again, loved by her again,& never spend  time with her again!! What a loss we feel!!! We will NEVER be the same. Our family is changed forever, because of useless, crazy, & selfish actions.  Karma does exist & eventually catches all of us.  Her death is such a waste of a talented, creative, loving, caring, & compassionate person.

Christy's life was full of fun & adventures.  When she was growing up she wasn't afraid to tackle anything and was so full of energy. She had beautiful natural curly hair and the curls would bounce when she walked or ran.  She loved being outside and being with her Dad no matter what he was doing.  She learned so many things from him, from working on cars to carpenter work and many other skills.

She had a 1968 Mustang for her first car and she absolutely LOVED that car.  It was bright red and she loved driving with the windows down and the radio blaring and her beautiful hair blowing in the wind. She had dark brown hair and georgous hazel green eyes that twinkled when she was having fun and enjoying herself. She loved teasing others and enjoyed being teased in return.

She was a beautiful girl but she never thought she was even though she had offers to model and was always being told how beautiful she was.  That never went to her head, she was content to be "one of the gang."  She had more male friends in school than female friends because she could talk to them about cars and how to work on them and fix them.  She even worked on and fixed some of her friends cars. 

She was in a local car club with her dad and would "show" her car when he showed his 1967 Chevelle.  She loved getting trophies for her car.  She had many friends from different cities and states she loved and was loved in returned who attended car shows. She enjoyed meeting the people and sharing stories with them about the restoration of her car and theirs.  She had so much respect from them and especially the middle aged people.  She loved listening to their stories about their lives and their life experiences.  So many enjoyed her personality & sense of humor.

GONE TOO SOON!!!!!!!!!!!              I love & miss you "Sis"

You were a blessing to your father & I from the time you were born. Little did we know at that time what a special woman you would become.  You loved your family so much and suffered so much physical pain yourself from Crohn"s disease and it's side effects.  How sad it is to know you died from a bullet to your heart that had been broken too many times.  What a loss of a wonderful individual who was multi talented in so many ways. You loved your music, your son, your sister, your niece, reading, butterflies, NASCAR, crafts, and your '68 Mustang.  What a wonderful, loving daughter who will always be on our minds and forever in our hearts.