Tuesday, June 18 ~A Tribute to Mom Bichler~

Last Tuesday we received a call from Andy's older brother letting us know that Mom Bichler's pneumonia was not responding to treatment.  They had stopped dialysis because of the drop in blood pressure.  The doctors were perplexed as to why she was not responding to medication.  Alice was in extreme pain and knew that something just wasn't quite right.  The doctors sedated her to help the pain and later that same evening she went to be with the Lord.
As you may have read, we went out to visit Mom Bichler the first week in May.  She was so excited to see us and never stopped talking during our visits to see her at the assisted living home where she was staying.  She could no longer stand on her own but was surrounded by her word find books, TV Guides and a good supply of chocolate snacks and cookies.  Her conversations were wonderful and she asked about my family, still remembering every one's name, even my nieces and nephews and their children.  It was such a wonderful visit and as we said our good byes on that last day she gave me a big hug and kiss and I can't help but think that perhaps she knew it might be our last visit.  Andy, too, was so uplifted by the visit.  I think he had an idea that she was not very good mentally from his talks with her every Sunday and he worried that she would want him to take her back to see her house that we had been preparing to put on the market.  He needed not worry as she never mentioned the house except to ask if there was anything that we wanted for us or the girls.  I am glad I have this last visit as our final memory.
Alice was not an easy person to get along with.  Let's face it, she went through too many home care nurses to even count and she had at least 4 different roommates while at the Country Meadows.  She finally landed in an Alzheimer's unit so that her roommate was gone all day to sit in the common room and Mom had the room to herself.  That seemed to work pretty good for her.  She had 2 large windows with a lovely view and she seemed fairly content.  I think Mom B always liked me, I know Andy's dad did.  Probably because I grew up on a farm and was no stranger to hard work.  The summer after my college graduation I spent in New Jersey.  I learned how to make potato pancakes, homemade salad dressing, hams, beef roast and the best homemade baked beans and mac and cheese ever.  She and Andy tried to teach me how to play cards, pinochle is the card game of choice in New Jersey, but that was something that even she could not succeed at.  She and Dad Bichler made several visits to Ohio  and we tried to get back to New Jersey as often as possible.  Andy's dad died in 1984 which was very difficult for Andy.  The farm was taken by the state by eminent domain and they built a community college there.  Andy had not been by there until yesterday when we drove past it on our way to the funeral home.  Andy's mom however, bounced back and lived in nearby Phillipsburg in a small home she purchased.  She lived on her own until this year.  She continued to visit Ohio and would come out when the girls were little and spend two weeks with us.  We always looked forward to these visits.  She was able to teach the girls, unlike me, to play and enjoy card games and board games.  She loved bingo and would stock up on bingo supplies here as she always said they were much cheaper than back in Jersey.  She was a wonderful, caring woman that would give you anything you needed.  We were lucky to have had her as a part of our family and she will be missed.

1974 Urbana College Graduation



Waiting for the Stream Threshers Parade in London, Ohio
(Sara is evidently not happy about something)

Playing Skee Ball at Chuck E Cheese

Trish's high school graduation 1996

Luke's first visit to Grammie B's

Andy's first visit after his accident

This was our last visit with Mom Bichler.  The previous picture shows Luke and Grammie joking around.  I think she saw the orneriness in Luke that she had seen in Andy when he was growing up.

Yesterday's funeral service was very nice and it was a beautiful sunny day.  We drove her out to the New Hampton Cemetery where Andy's dad and several aunts and uncles are also laid to rest.  The minister had a very nice service both at the funeral home and at the grave side.  I think Mom Bichler would have approved.  Afterwards we met at Flynn's on the Hill in Phillipsburg for a light meal and fellowship.  Everything was perfect.  We left after the meal and drove home.  Made pretty good time and got to our house around 11 pm.  Sara and Matt and Evelyn then drove on to Cincinnati since Sara had to go to work.