Barbara Lee Jones-Reitzloff, August 30, 1957 – March 5, 2008

Barbara with Daniel, Madison, & Elizabeth

For a Christian end to our life, painless, blameless, peaceful, and for a good account at the dread judgment-seat of Christ, let us ask the Lord.

This is a petition we pray at every Orthodox service, and it was granted to Barbara today. She died with her characteristic dignity and grace, alert and smiling until the last two hours, and mercifully unconscious the last hour.

About half an hour before her final struggle, she said, “I want my doctor,” nodding toward Demetrios. Demetrios, with his broken foot, hopped up to her side and they had a big hug and kisses and she smiled a lot.

Then she began gasping, and when the Albuterol didn’t help, we telephoned Daniel. Although she had had a burning fever all day, she was now growing cold and her color changed.

I said to her, “I think you are very near your victory now. Keep saying your Jesus Prayer, cling to Him all the way through and you’ll awake in His arms.” She nodded vigorously. Then I added, “For all you are going through, I’m jealous of your situation, because you already have one foot in heaven, and your crown is within reach now.” She nodded again and smiled.

Mom took her hand and began singing to her, that beautiful old Welsh lullabye, “All Through the Night.” How many people get to die with their mothers singing them to sleep?

Sleep, my child, and peace attend thee,
All through the night.
Guardian angels God will send thee,
All through the night.
Softly now the hours are creeping,
Hill and vale in slumber steeping,
I my loving watch am keeping,
All through the night.

Shortly after that, some morphine having been administered, she grew sleepy. Demetrios says she would have lost consciousness even without the morphine, because of not enough oxygen.

Daniel arrived, and we left him alone with her for half an hour or so before we went back in.

Barbara was making little, shallow, vocal gasping breaths. Then the breaths became silent, little gasps. The last several gasps came 15 seconds apart, and then came one last, stronger and again vocal breath. We waited a full minute, but no more breaths came, so we hugged each other and cried. The nurses, who had told us she was a favorite with all of them, cried, too.

Fr. Gregory arrived 10 minutes after her repose and prayed with us.

O Christ, rest the souls of all Thy servants who have reposed this day, and especially Thy servant Barbara, among the saints, where there is no pain nor sorrow nor sighing, but life unending.

Thanks to so many of you for your outpouring of prayers these last three months, and your kind words, and your great love, which overwhelms me.

.