Riding for Roses

Rachel’s mother, Diane Brimmer, passed away on Monday, December 13, 2004, from metastatic breast cancer. She leaves behind her husband Frank, children Rachel Sartin and Arnie Brimmer, and grandchildren Spencer Robert Sartin and Jacob Francis Sartin. Diane had breast cancer two years ago and it returned in her liver and lungs earlier this Fall. She was hospitalized the day before Thanksgiving. Rachel and Arnie came home to see her and help on December 3. Diane went home on December 4 and spent a week at home. I brought Rachel’s van up on the 5th and got to see Diane. On December 10, she moved into hospice and passed away on the morning of the 13th. I flew up with the boys yesterday (the 14th) for visitation. Today is more visitation, rosary, and vigil at White Funeral Home in Independence, IA. Tomorrow morning is the funeral.

After consulting with the oncologist, we’ve delayed Spencer’s next round of chemotherapy by three days, so we start on Monday.

Frank and Diane adopted and raised two wonderful, and completely different, children: Arnie and Rachel. Arnie lives with his wife Janna in Salmon, Idaho, where he works for Idaho Fish and Game. Rachel lives with me in Austin, Texas, where she works in management in the IBM Systems Group.

Diane was a private music (piano, voice, organ) teacher for over 56 years—many of those years giving over 100 lessons a week. She was the president of the Iowa Music Teachers Association. She judged contests throughout the area. She was the Music Director at St John’s Catholic Church. She touched many lives with her music. Last night, the local junior high school had a concert and dedicated it to her. Since 1981, when she started a funeral choir group, she organized and participated in music for 553 funerals where the choir sang and performed herself in approximately an additional 150. She performed at countless weddings, 20-30 a year for years and years, including those of both of her children.

The past three summers, Spencer has spent the time around Independence Day here in Independence, IA, with his grandparents. The first year, when he was two, we met the Brimmers in Chicago, and Rachel and I went to Montreal for a few days before joining them here. When Spencer was three, I dropped him here for a few days and then Rachel and I drove up and spent a week; we were secretly avoiding air travel and delaying our trip because Rachel was newly pregnant with Jacob. I spent the week cycling around the area and enjoying the immensely courteous motorists while Spencer played and Rachel tried to hide her morning sickness until we were sure the embryo was there to stay. This summer, I flew Spencer up and then he drove back to Austin with his grandparents. We treasure the time he got to have with his grandmother and hope he will remember it.

The Waterloo Courier ran a story about Diane and her funeral