Bob Lane Newsletter (Winter 2022)

Dear Loving Family and Friends,

Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ Our Lord and Savior, as we wait on His return in glory!

I pray that 2022 will be a year full of happiness and good health, love, joy and peace for you and your family. 

I thank you for the love and encouragement. 2021 was a journey, with many changes—caring for Betty whom I loved for over 70 years. She was the only girl I went steady with and I was the only guy she went steady with. After knowing each other for five months, we were married. She was quite humorous, witty, courageous and easy to love.  She gave me a picture of herself once that she had written “always love you” on the front. Years later, I asked her how she knew she would always love me. She said, “I just knew”. 

Caring for Betty while she had dementia was like watching her slowly go to sleep. First she lost her ability to walk, bathe, feed herself, brush her teeth, eat solid food, and hold a glass of water. I would feed her watermelon which she liked best. Thank God she had very little pain. Betty did remember most of the family. Her speech grew weaker toward the end. I would tell her I loved her and she would say I love you too. When she stopped speaking, she would give me that beautiful smile, so I knew she understood me. God gave to both of us the gift of love.

The angels came and carried Betty to her heavenly home with Jesus in the early morning hours of July 24.  Like the poor man, Lazarus died and the angels carried him to Abraham’s side–Luke 16:22-23. 

God wants us to love Him with all our hearts, soul, mind and strength. That was what Betty and I tried to do with each other as well. I enjoyed singing some of our favorite song lyrics to her which included: “You are my sunshine, my only sunshine”; “Have I told you lately that I love you?”;  “Down by the old mill stream”; and others. She was my everything. I have great memories of our lives that I am writing about in my book. 

Betty was a Proverbs 31 wife; she always wanted to please me. The guys at Teen Missions said I was spoiled when she packed my lunch. It was always packed with love. That’s what Betty always did. She always had my breakfast, lucn and dinner ready for me. That’s who Betty was.

The hardest part is that the house is so quiet now—no voice from Betty when she would call me from another room. No more pots and pans in the kitchen or when I reach for her during the night. Betty always had time to help you. I miss her smile, her loving hug. I tried to do things to please her; plant her flowers, her favorite was pansies. Betty fought the good fight and finished the race and won the crown of Glory. I am looking forward to being with her.

I am still on staff with Teen Missions. I do what I can. 

Thank you for your prayers.

Bob Lane

Proverbs 3:5-6