Dear friends of DSO,

It is with deep sadness I am writing this today.  Our dear friend and co-worker Andrea’s Mom has lost her battle with cancer. 

We here at DSO really try to keep the negative away from our site, but I had to take this opportunity to let Andrea know how much we love her, especially now when she needs us the most. 

It is so hard to lose a loved one, and to lose one right at Christmas.  Well, I can’t imagine what she and her family are going through.   As if that weren’t bad enough, I found out today all the “other” things they are dealing with right now and I have to tell you that my heart is breaking.

To post an excerpt of their dilemma I think would be best, as I am asking for any of you that can, to help.  Reposting with Andrea’s consent.

Hello family and friends,

We sincerely appreciate all the support, love and prayers as well as those who have come to our home to assist us in many ways, we thank you with all our hearts. 

We realize this is a difficult time financially for most and with the holidays too, with that in mind, we have set up an account where donations may be made for funeral costs should anyone like to further assist us – instead of donating flowers for the funeral. 

To do this if you are able and willing, anyone may walk into any location of a Bank of America building and request to make a donation to the LINDA CALL FUNERAL CONTRIBUTION account. 

If you do not have a branch near you, checks made payable to the LINDA CALL FUNERAL CONTRIBUTION will also be accepted in person or by mail to:

Michael Call
2355 E Ivy Street
Mesa AZ 85213

and then the follow up from Andrea’s sister:

Dearest friends and family,

As hard as it was last night to send out the below email to all of you, I realized this morning that we should be much more specific in explaining our need. 

My mom didn’t have any life insurance for herself and my dad hasn’t been working for the last 6months as he wanted to remain by his sweetheart’s side every minute of every day for the last 6months, which he says was the most wonderful experience ever.  Therefore, no incoming paychecks for 6 months and more as I type this.  My mom had an account of some money saved when her stepmother passed, but that account in which my parents lived on and footed many medical bills -for all the medications used for my mom etc., this account was drained of a very small amount last night. 

With much humility we ask our friends and extended family for help.  We’ve had many ask if they could help in any way, this is it my friends.  We need to come up with $10,008 for all funeral expenses.  $4,000 (exactly 4,000) we need by 4pm today to be able to bury my mom on Saturday at the Mesa Cemetery on Center/Brown area in Mesa.  They will not allow us a payment plan of any sort.  They want it in full.  We have all day today to come up with the money.  They are open from 8am-5pm and we hope to have what we need by 4pm to make it there in time to pay as needed.  This is for my mom, we are not profiting any of this.  The exact amount needed today is $4,000.  We (between my sister Andrea and I) will be making monthly payments to Bunker Chapel and Garden to pay the remainder $6008.  We meet with them at 2:30pm to discuss payment arrangements and find out how much we must give as first payment etc. 

We are completely broke.  My dad, myself (with all the days I’ve taken off work using FMLA – 11 days this month counting today, and unpaid leave as all my vacation/sick time is used up, so paychecks are very very small) and my sister and brother…we have no money.  And it is with much humility we must ask that if all our friends, those of you who may spare even a simple $10-20 and go to any Bank of America building and donate what little you can will help to the LINDA CALL FUNERAL CONTRIBUTION account as we would not ask at all if we were not in this dire need.  We know not what else to do.  This is a desperate attempt to collect what we can to provide a funeral at all and we have kept it at, bare minimum, to my mom.  Because my parents didn’t even have a plot picked out or anything as well. 

We would like to also extend a very special thank you to some who have given my dad a generous amount already and would like you to know this has been used for my brother’s flight expenses to get him out here from Tennessee, house bills, gas money, basic necessities since given to him, and we are down to a very minimum again. 

Please understand we would seriously not ask unless we truly need all the help we can get in such a short time by 4pm today.  So if you would please, go to any Bank of America or give my dad a check payable to LINDA CALL FUNERAL CONTRIBUTION, we could keep the arrangements we have made for this Saturday. 

With heartfelt gratitude we thank you all for the love, support, prayers and thoughts you have sent our way.  If you are able to help us in any way, we would be ever so grateful. 

If you can help in anyway, please do. 

Andrea, we love you.  My family and I are praying for you, and holding you in our hearts extra tight.

Many thanks for reading. 
~Bunny

PS:  If you can forward this post on, please do so.  I know one person can’t save the world, but we can all work together to ease a little suffering in a time of need.  In this case, my dollar + your dollar CAN make a difference.  If you cant give money, won’t you swing by Andrea’s blog and just leave a little moral support.   HUGS.

EDITED TO AD:
Many of you have emailed asking if you could have Andrea’s Pay Pal addy since you did not have that bank near you or were over seas.   You CAN send her a contribution to her PP account, her addy is andreadickinson@yahoo.com Thank you so much to each of you!  ~B