RIP Wes

Yesterday, I was getting ready to go into Bend and checked my Facebook page to see what was up.  I am signed up on there to get news releases for our local TV station, Z21.  There was a story about our friend Wes, who had died in a car accident the night before.  His windows had ice on them, and he pulled out in front of a semi at one of our most dangerous intersections.  Cary and I are just heartsick about this, as are so many in our little town.  We grieve for his wife Niki, and their whole family.  


Wes was such a nice man.  Always smiling, with a kind word for everybody.  He loved Jesus, and was a very peaceful sort of person.  We will miss him so much.  We were supposed to go for a weekend trip to Reno with Wes and Niki in the near future.  I regret that we didn't go a couple of months ago when we first thought up the idea.

A funny thing happened, as I began to make phone calls.  I had put in a call to Jackie, and she was going to call me back in a few minutes.  Cary was in Bend for a meeting, so I decided that I had better call him to let him know.  I hit my speed dial number for Cary, and then MY phone began to ring.  It said that it was from "Unavailable".   I couldn't answer it, and I couldn't turn off the phone!  It just kept ringing, ringing, ringing ... for about 4 or 5 minutes.  I haven't ever opened the back of this phone to change the battery, so I didn't even know where to begin there.  Finally it stopped and the phone shut off, perhaps responding to all my efforts to turn if off.  It was very strange.  I went over the missed call numbers and Jackie had called me back, but her phone number showed up.  There was no "Unavailable" on the missed calls and nobody left a voice mail.  

Was it Wes?  I know that many of you will think I am nuts, if you don't already, but I am choosing to believe that it was Wes.  That he was signaling goodbye, and that he is fine and happy in Heaven, and thanks for thinking of him, and to take care of Niki for him.  We will do that, Wes.  Thanks for calling.  

We are all going to miss him so much.  Cary and I  had a Texas Hold 'Em party over here a couple of years ago, with my Dad as the dealer.  Wes and I were, should we say, the not so serious players.  We were sitting next to each other, got a bit tipsy and were driving everybody crazy with our casualness to their seriousness.  Wes' self appointed part of the game was to make sure to pipe up with "pot's in!" when the time was right.  I was making bets on intuition and winning a few hands,  making Niki say things like, she doesn't even know what she is doing!  How did she win that hand?  It was a lot of fun.  At least Wes and I thought so.  

Wes and Niki used to come up and visit us on our camping trips up to Paulina Lake.  We ran into them last summer at the little town of Detroit Lake, where we ate some burgers.  We were all on our way back to La Pine.  They had been crabbing at the coast, and they gave us a couple of their fresh caught crabs that day.  I just wish now that we had all spent more time together.  One of our little group is now gone.  We love him, and will miss him so much. 

I would appreciate it if you could keep Niki and their family in your prayers.  Thank you so much.


~ Kathy