[Oe List ...] Donnamarie West

[Marilyn Crocker via OE]

Dear Jack, George and other members of our Order who have known and loved
Donnamarie,

Joe and I send our deep condolences to you, West family members and the
Litibu community in Mexico on the passing of one fine, missional lady.  

We consider Donnamarie our surrogate "daughter," as we stood up as
representatives of "the parents" at the wedding of George and Donnamarie,
many years ago in Chicago.  Although "our daughter in the spirit",
Donnamarie, is spared further pain from her long illness, so many of us will
deeply miss her presence.

We remember especially her memoir of "awakenment" (my label) entitled "What
More Could I Ask For?"  For us it was such a powerfully positive narrative
of her journey from living a full, but somewhat circumscribed life in the
suburbs of the US, to experiencing a call to serve the innocent suffering of
the world -- and daring to respond. (She wrote this long before the memoir
was the literary form "du jour.")

In the early 90s when we lived just outside Boston and Joe's young
parishioner (a dentist) expressed a "call to serve" beyond the Hispanic
community of East Boston, Joe asked Donnamarie and you, George (who were
visiting us at the time), to describe your work in Peru and counsel her a
bit on the "values screen" she might use in a discernment process for coming
to a decision.  That young woman is now approaching 50 and has served as a
UMC medical missionary in Nicaragua for nearly 20 years.  We believe her
decision was at least in part influenced by the data, concern and passion
shared by the West family.

Our OE Community of Saints is forever growing these days, each time with
tears "about" the specific loss of beloved ones like Donnamarie,  and tears
"over" the final separation we all will ultimately encounter.

Grace, peace and love,

Marilyn and Joe  

-----Original Message-----
From: OE [mailto:oe-bounces at lists.wedgeblade.net] On Behalf Of Jack Gilles
via OE
Sent: Saturday, May 16, 2015 12:41 AM
To: Richard West; Bill & Sheela Westre; Nancy Lanphear; Bob & Tina Lang;
Robert Lang; Order Ecumenical Community
Subject: [Oe List ...] Donnamarie West

Dear Colleagues,

I am sorry to say that Donnamarie died this evening around 9 PM after a
brief stay in the hospital. George, his granddaughter Kathy and Diane where
there when she passed. She is being cremated on Sunday. No other plans have
been announced. Thanks for your love and concern over all these years of her
illness. 

Grace and Peace,

Jack
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