Wednesday, November 19, 2003

Community opens its arms at a time of crisis and sorrow

Thank you for informing the community and honoring Donald Doyle Carey, my husband, in the obituary almost three weeks ago. We are not Fayette County natives, having lived here only 25 years, but I’m so thankful that we have been a part of such a town and community that Fayetteville is.

Practically every aspect of our recent ordeal has been positive and comforting:

The calming, efficient 911 operator;

The professional response of the EMT;

The services provided by Deputy Chris Stapleton, both when he stayed with me as much as possible after making me go out into the yard yet going back in himself for my cell phone and address book so we could contact people and then returning on the day of the funeral to lead the dignified procession from our home to the church;

The open arms of our associate minister, who met me in the emergency waiting room and then remained with me as I quickly learned that Don did not make it and then staying as each family member arrived;

The doctor on duty, who kindly told me that they did all they could, but it really had happened so fast that God had taken him before man and medicine could intervene;

Holly, who was on duty, stayed with us in the family room area, facilitating bringing in each of our girls and other family members who had received the call that he had had a heart attack but had no indication of the seriousness of the situation before they arrived and easing the way for our last visits with Don;

Our pastor, youth pastor, and friends, who waited in the emergency waiting room to pray, wait, and then be there to provide comfort and hugs as we left the family area and were getting ready to leave the hospital three hours after I had arrived with such hope.

We have been bolstered by the continuing support through visits, calls, e-mails, cards, poems, books, food, chores, flowers, homes for visiting family member to sleep, contributions in Don’s memory, and prayers from friends and former co-workers.

The outpouring has come from people whom Don knew when he was a child, from friends from the beginning of his career in education in 1964 and mine in 1968 both at Jonesboro Junior High, his at North Clayton Senior High, and finally at Lovejoy High School until his retirement in 1999, plus during the time he worked 49 percent of the time for Lovejoy for two more years until the end of the summer of 2001.

The Fayette Middle School family, some of whom have retired or gone to other schools, truly has been a family for me. Friends from churches with which we were formerly affiliated as well as our brothers and sisters at our church home since 1996 have comforted us and paid their respects to Don.

Friends of our daughters, Melissa, Laura, and Stephanie, have shown their love in various ways. Numerous family members from both of our extended families and the “adopted” Fayetteville family of Scott, our son-in-law of nine years, have also shared in our grief and our healing.

We have been surrounded constantly by love throughout the past four weeks since Don left us on Tuesday, Oct. 2. The sharing and caring of friends, family, and acquaintances have helped us resume our lives without him, knowing that is what he would want us to do.

Helping ease the trauma of our sudden loss were the professional services of Mowell Funeral Home, of Camp Memorial Park, and the escort and guards of at the least 10 policemen standing with their hats over their hearts and their police cars strategically blocking traffic from crossing over on Ga. Highway 314 and at the intersection of Ga. Highway 54 and Jeff Davis as we proceeded from our home past the beautifully restored historical homes and structures on the way to Harps Crossing Baptist Church as if we were taking a great man home.

We are thankful that we chose the Fayette County community as our home 25 years ago. How much more difficult it would have been without the community that still upholds the traditions of a small Southern town!

Thank you again for the service you provided through printing Don’s obituary as you continue to inform our local community.

Doris Cason Carey; Laura and Stephanie Carey; Melissa, Scott, Carey, and Will Barronton