In the past 2 weeks we have experienced the circle of life with the birth of our second grandson CK, and the passing of momma Sheri onto the next phase of the plan....what a bitter sweet time. My emotions are bigger than words can express.....
We didn't know if Mom would see CK on this side of the veil or not, but on Tuesday May 14, Mom told us that she had a dream (She never remembered her dreams) and that the baby was coming today. At 3:00am May 15 baby Call arrived. He is so precious. Great Grandma didn't get to see him in person, but through facetime she saw him and talked with Jordan and family. When I asked her later if this was the baby she saw coming, she told me yes he was..... I want you to know, that I know Great Grandma Sheri visited with CK after her passing. I was sitting with Laurie while we were waiting for news from the Hospital about Captain Awesome's concussion. It had been a day since moms passing, life was tender and a bit on its side. I got a frantic call from Laurie that Jordan was taking Captain Awesome to the hospital, he had been hit in the head with a rock and passed out ran to be with Laurie and sent Gary and the other Grandparents to the hospital. I was praying for Angels to attend Ry at the Hospital on my drive to their home. While we were waiting we were so nervous and upset, wanting to here more about his condition, talking too much about dumb stuff to keep our minds from awfulizing, Suddenly little CK began grinning and almost cooing at someone in the room, he wasn't even looking at us.....Instantly Laurie and I were at peace and both commented that the angels were attending. I then said and not just any angels our angels with the addition of Grandma Sheri. As I said that CK became even more animated and smiley. I know she was with us and Jordan said he knew she was with them at the Hospital as well. (Grandma Karen confirmed to me that she too called for our Grandma Sheri Angel to attend them). And all is well!
Mom's passing was too soon, but indeed a blessing. We had the wonderful blessing of not only spending last precious days with her reminiscing, planning and saying until we meet again, but we had the opportunity of serving her through the violent ordeal of vomiting to eliminate waste, and administering her IV and medication every few hours.
I learned so much while serving mom, about unconditional love, compassion, mourning and even a small glimpse of what it must have been like for our Savior during his time in Gethsemane. It was truly and awesome opportunity to serve and to love my mom. I wouldn't have traded this experience as hard as it was sometimes for anything.
I know the days may be harder with out my number one cheerleader physically by my side to push me along, but I do know that she is still there for me, as one of my new angels, wanting the best and expecting the best from me.
Momma Sheri's funeral was a goodbye party, it was a celebration of her wonderful life and a notice of her opportunity to move forward into immortality. If you were to measure a persons earthly existence by those in attendance at her funeral, she was a wealthy woman! She loved unconditionally and was always looking for the best in others. She was the 'you can do it lady.' She never met anyone that she didn't inspire to be their best. She was every one's biggest fan. And apparently everyone was her biggest fan in return...you give love away, you get it back 10 fold.
At her funeral I spoke of the way to show her my love and honor her memory was to be more like her. She was a builder of people, a lifter of souls. She lived, laughed and unconditionally loved.
I know mom had no regrets of consequence. She made sure she was right with people and right with the Lord.
Mom's testimony of the Gospel was so strong, she was a living testament. Like the stripling warriors in the Book of Mormon said "we did not doubt, our mothers knew it." My mother knew it too. She told me in one of her last coherent moments that "it is true, it is true, The Gospel is true!"
and so life goes. we are born to die, that we may live again.
I love you mom!
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| Until we meet again! |
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| Singing one last time for Grandma Sheri |
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| Dad the great at his sweethearts side. | | |
yes, my heart is too full, the words aren't enough, but the spirit comforts me and I know it is until we meet again.
MCC
Sheri Butters Cole (Sharolyn) passed away May 21, 2013. She forgot to
breathe in. "I love life, life loves me!" she said. 2 years from her
initial cancer diagnosis, she now says farewell. Sheri was born May 9,
1939 to Grant and Eulala Butters. She married the love of her life, her
rock, her sweetheart, Lyle Cole on June 9, 1959, they have spent 54
years together with eternity still to go. We celebrate a life lived with
grace, beauty, and style that she exhibited to the end. She was a
builder of people, a lifter of souls, an example to us all of how to
live, laugh and unconditionally love. She touched so many of us with
her passion and energy; she shared her talents and gifts everywhere she
went. For you it may have been dancing for her in 30 years of musicals
at Bountiful High, or in dance lessons in her home studio, or as one of
the many hundreds taught life lessons and time management as a
professional trainer with Charles Hobbs and Franklin Covey. Did you
work with her in the Sweet Adeline's or Beehive Statesmen? Or in one of
the many choirs she has choreographed or directed? Did you watch her
dance across Utah with the Sheri Cole Dancers? Or hear her singing with
her Mother and Daughters in the Cole-Collection? Or as the drama teacher
at Davis High School or as the choir teacher at Bountiful High? Were
you a student, or one of her families with Washington Online? Did you
carry a banner as an LDS Young Woman in the days of '47 parade? Or were
you part of her LDS mission to Scotland? Perhaps you witnessed one of
her 4th of July spectaculars at Rice Eccles and Spring Mobile Ballpark?
Or one of the many amazing Relief Society lessons she faithfully taught?
Better yet, maybe she was simply your friend to comfort you in times
of need and give you that boost of positive energy she had for everyone.
Did you see her in a show? She loved the theater. She directed, danced
and performed in shows too many to count. She spent genuine time with
each of us, building us, teaching us, and was always everyone's biggest
fan! She loved us all!
She lived to have a party and would make up reasons if she had to.
The legendary Thanksgiving pie party, Halloween doughnuts, and summer
scones brought family and friends together. Her favorite role and best
party was as loving wife and mother to her family. Bear Lake on the
beach will never be the same without her, but we will never forget how
she loved spending time with us there. We will never forget the
Christmas records playing all year round, sitting with her at parades,
puzzles on the dining room table, family talent shows and concerts, her
love of learning, always the latest books, The Color Code, family nights
at pine view reservoir, The Love Languages, road trips in the
Pace-Arrow, her beautiful paintings, and living in "your essence." She
was a one of a kind - an original.
She is survived by her devoted husband Lyle Nelson Cole, children
Marcie and Gary Call, Melinda and Wayne Welch, Adam and Christine Cole,
Elizabeth Cole and Allison Dennison, Angela and Guy Brown, 20
grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren. Also survived by her brothers
and Sisters Darlene and Jim Ostlund, Lynette and Lynn Poulter, Stephen
and Mary Butters, Diane and David Hill, Bailey and Christie Butters,
Brad and Karen Butters. Preceded in death by loving parents Grant and
Eulala Butters and brother Grant Michael Butters.
We know she is returning to our Heavenly Father with honor!
We will never forget her legacy of unconditional love; her
remarkable style, beauty and grace and her testimony of the Gospel of
Jesus Christ. We are all better for having known her. A life well lived.
We love you Sheri!
Funeral services will be held at 11:00 a.m., Wednesday, May 29, 2013
at the Woodland Hills LDS Ward, 640 South 750 East, Bountiful, Utah. A
viewing will be held Tuesday evening from 6:00 - 8:30 p.m at Russon
Brothers Bountiful Mortuary, 295 North Main, and Wednesday morning 9:45 -
10:45 a.m. at the church prior to services. Interment-Lakeview
Cemetery.
