Linda and I worked at the NCO club at Blytheville Air Force base (Eaker), when one night clyde drinking with his friends, got on his knees and proposed to me. Well Linda took it to the extreme, within a month she had got the minister, Sgt Dick Bratton, our boss and a police officer to give me a way in uniform, and clydes mom to have clydes dads shotgun pointed at his tail if he didnt fullfill his vow to marry me. this is one of many memories that we shared.

That was the one of the many times Lindas sense of humor won out. She had the belief in me and clyde that we were to be together forever. With many loving memories of her witt and the love she gave to us.

We would gather almost every morning for coffee at Lindas (when she lived in Gosnell, AR) and every morning we would talk, laugh, and cry over our lives. for clyde she would bake a cake. We made our days discissions that way and Doris carries on Lindas tradition.

I can remember the discussions on her next  projects  and I can remember the walls she tore down and rebuild, making improvements to better her home and fred was right beside her laughing and and I am sure he was wondering when that project would end. Fred never once in front of us ever told her he was too tired of doing it.  You saw them always working together as a team and that made clyde and myself always work side by side with no regrets in this.  She took time to sew me a set of pillow cases for my large pillows and it was so odd but it worked and clyde and phoenix showed her how large those pillow cases were.

This is the greatest effect she had on my life was always work together and laugh no matter the problem, eventually there  was a solution. 

Grandma and Grandpa came to Texas to teach their Grandkids how to make Christmas cookies.

This was Grandma's favorite ringtone. Her Grandson singing a rendition of "You Are My Sunshine" to her.

So I found out my Mom had been diagnosed with cancer just a few weeks ago. My wife, Cristie, had already been with her in Arizona for about a week to help her after her back surgery to repair some broken bones in her back. I remember my wife calling me and telling me to sit down. That they did find cancer. At this point we did not know the extent of it, just that she had lung cancer and I believe we knew the type and stage somewhat but not how much it had spread as of yet. 

My kids (Chase, Jack and Hayden) and myself flew out to Arizona on April 27. My sister and her two boys, Parker and Phoenix, were already there as well. My brother Steve came out from Utah a few days later. We were all there at this point. My Mom had her husband, her three kids, and all of her Grandchildren with her at the same time. This is the first time this has ever happened; us all being together at the same time in the same place. The picture in the gallery captured the special event. 

We all got to spend a few good days with Mom while she was still able to get around somewhat and enjoy us all being there. We laughed, we cried, we were a family. We were preparing for the worst and hoping for the best in terms of her cancer. She was going in for her PT Scan on April 30 to find out the extent of spread and prognosis. Also, that same day; Pam, Parker, Phoenix, and Chase were flying back home. Mom, Dad, and Steve went to get her scan while my wife and I took Chase to the airport in Phoenix with Jack and Hayden.      
 
Wednesday, May 2, 2012 - This is the day we got the results for the PT scan in Phoenix. We all drove out, about a 3 hour trip one way. We stopped in Casa Grande to eat at IHOP. Mom wanted some IHOP but had forgotten her teeth so all she could eat were pancakes. The trips were getting really difficult for her back and forth from Tucson and / or Phoenix, It was taking a toll. We got to the clinic in Phoenix and I waited in the waiting room with my brother and my kids- Jack and Hayden. My Wife and Dad went back with her. It was not long before my wife came to get me and I went into a room with the two of them and the doctor. My Mom was waiting in another room. This is when I found out the worst. The cancer had spread and there was nothing to be done.

Back in Ajo, there are no Hospice services so my wife took on the role of that as well. She had been taking care of my mother after her back surgery, and now would take on the role of her hospice nurse as well. See my wife and my Mom have a special relationship that I will explain more in another story but in short, my Mom chose her as her daughter-in-law more than ten years ago. I guess she had the foresight to see how invaluable she would be to her and the whole family.

Cristie and Dad kept Mom as comfortable and free of pain as possible. Thursday, we moved her chair to the patio area because she wanted to be outside. We stayed with her constantly, taking turns sitting with her and taking care of her, She declined so fast that we were ill-prepared emotionally for what was happening. We were thinking there would be time; time to fight it, time to say goodbye, time to anything. We got my sister a flight back out because Mom wanted her kids with her in the end.

My mom had her first seizure on Friday. She had three before we finally got some new meds that helped prevent them. My mom was asleep from this point on. We held vigil waiting at this point. What a few days earlier was preparing ourselves for a long vigilant battle with chemotherapy and radiation and whatever it took, was now sitting with her, holding her hand, waiting for the inevitable. She was holding on though. My sister made it in Saturday May 5, 2012. We thought she was waiting until all her kids were back with her and her husband before she let go. We sat out with her and all talked and spent time together. That night, my Dad, who was sleeping on a cot beside her every night was with her holding her hand when she took her last breath just after midnight. Shortly after, my wife woke me up and I went to say goodbye. She passed away just after midnight on Sunday May 6, 2012. I can't say what made her hold on for so long but I think she wanted to wait until the 6th because her Granddaughter's birthday is on May 5 and she did not want to pass away on her only Granddaughter's birthday.

In the end, we all got to hold her hand, kiss her forehead, and tell her how much we love her and will miss her.  

She wasn't too fond of getting her photo taken, but this last one she whole heartedly wanted! It sure was a nice night to be with family!

Back to Front/Left to Right:


Jason Fields (mom's baby)

Steven Fields (her middle child)

Parker Tarbell (grandson)

Phoenix Bainter (grandson)

Jackson Fields (grandson)

Christie Fields (daughter-in-law & hospice nurse)

Fred Lucas (beloved husband and companion)

Chase Brown (grandson)

Pamela Ball (oldest child/daughter)

Little Girl (mom's dog)

Hayden Fields (granddaughter)

and...

LINDA LUCAS!!!!                            

     Mom had her share of heart breaks through her life. She never  seemed to know how to take the easy path! When she met Fred Lucas, I don't think she was really looking to be married again for a long time. After Fred received orders from the military to be stationed in NY, she had a major decision to make. To stay behind in Gosnell, or take the biggest leap of faith in her life and follow him. Thank goodness she chose the latter! She was the happiest she could have ever been with her new husband. You know it is true love when she will follow him to one of the coldest states in the nation, then again to one of the driest, hottest ones! Now she will follow him no matter where his heart and mind lead him... watching over him until he can be with her again.
                                                              Pamela Ball