A Memoir of a Spirit That Strengthened Faiths
Our 33-year-old niece, Jill Marie McMullen, lost a courageous battle with cancer on Monday, February 8. Her faithful spirit shined through stories from family and friends making us wish we'd known her better.
Since we moved from her Michigan hometown to the west coast when she was four, we knew her from glimpses during family visits or word-bites during distant sharing. We laughed about the time she and I tumbled into Deschutes River whitewater and I used my lifeguard skills to guide us to safety. Last year I thought about plunging into municipal bonds and she used her municipal bonding expertise to teach me about the financing.
Jill tenaciously fought her aggressive cancer. She had enrolled herself in an experimental treatment at Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, but treatments wouldn’t take. Her parents learned later that she’d urged her doctor to seek enrollment in other university research centers.
Finally with Jill’s blessing the doctors stopped the IV nutrition, increased the morphine, and slowed the saline solution. Even then she revealed her strength and love for her agonized parents. Her father said Jill lost her voice, whispering so softly they had to get close to hear her. He told about hearing her whisper something, and he kept getting closer until his head was over her lips. Jill summoned the strength to grab his head with both her hands and pull it to her. She kissed him on the forehead to flood him with love and said in a clear voice, “Water.”
It was the last word he heard her say.
Jill had told my wife she worried about her dad’s faith, so I asked him, “How’s your faith?”
He surprised me. “It’s grown. Jill had enough faith for everyone, three to four times the rest of us.”
The senior minister confirmed it. When he met with Jill, she said, “This wasn’t what I had planned, and with just 33 years, I don’t know if the fruit I produced is enough to get an everlasting life.”
He said, “I know from talking to you and the way you are handling this, that your fruit has made a difference in my spirit. You just never know far it goes.”
“If I get healed, I’ll do more.”
Jill had gotten close to her brother and his wife in the last five or so years. We met women from her recently formed prayer group who were amazed at what she’d done. At their first meeting Jill told them she’d been diagnosed with colon cancer, but wasn’t in the group just to seek their support.
Her friends talked about how she supported them, advised them, or prayed for them.
A surgical nurse was scheduled to leave for Haiti when Jill learned only days remained. Jill insisted her friend fulfill her mission. She left the day Jill died and after delivering supplies, returned for services. These young Christian souls testified to the remarkable faith they’d seen in Jill.
We experienced her spirit through friends and family, and as her faith shined through them, they strengthened ours.
Since we moved from her Michigan hometown to the west coast when she was four, we knew her from glimpses during family visits or word-bites during distant sharing. We laughed about the time she and I tumbled into Deschutes River whitewater and I used my lifeguard skills to guide us to safety. Last year I thought about plunging into municipal bonds and she used her municipal bonding expertise to teach me about the financing.
Jill tenaciously fought her aggressive cancer. She had enrolled herself in an experimental treatment at Karmanos Cancer Institute in Detroit, but treatments wouldn’t take. Her parents learned later that she’d urged her doctor to seek enrollment in other university research centers.
Finally with Jill’s blessing the doctors stopped the IV nutrition, increased the morphine, and slowed the saline solution. Even then she revealed her strength and love for her agonized parents. Her father said Jill lost her voice, whispering so softly they had to get close to hear her. He told about hearing her whisper something, and he kept getting closer until his head was over her lips. Jill summoned the strength to grab his head with both her hands and pull it to her. She kissed him on the forehead to flood him with love and said in a clear voice, “Water.”
It was the last word he heard her say.
Jill had told my wife she worried about her dad’s faith, so I asked him, “How’s your faith?”
He surprised me. “It’s grown. Jill had enough faith for everyone, three to four times the rest of us.”
The senior minister confirmed it. When he met with Jill, she said, “This wasn’t what I had planned, and with just 33 years, I don’t know if the fruit I produced is enough to get an everlasting life.”
He said, “I know from talking to you and the way you are handling this, that your fruit has made a difference in my spirit. You just never know far it goes.”
“If I get healed, I’ll do more.”
Jill had gotten close to her brother and his wife in the last five or so years. We met women from her recently formed prayer group who were amazed at what she’d done. At their first meeting Jill told them she’d been diagnosed with colon cancer, but wasn’t in the group just to seek their support.
Her friends talked about how she supported them, advised them, or prayed for them.
A surgical nurse was scheduled to leave for Haiti when Jill learned only days remained. Jill insisted her friend fulfill her mission. She left the day Jill died and after delivering supplies, returned for services. These young Christian souls testified to the remarkable faith they’d seen in Jill.
We experienced her spirit through friends and family, and as her faith shined through them, they strengthened ours.
Posted by JSR at 2/18/2010 1:59 AM 
Categories: Serving Others,Death and Dying
Tags: jillmariemcmullen karmanoscancer death
Categories: Serving Others,Death and Dying
Tags: jillmariemcmullen karmanoscancer death
I can assure you that her spirit lives on in all of you. I see that every day in my boys, friends, family, and former students of Eric. It sounds like Jill was a gift to this world. While she didn't get to stay around nearly long enough, it was long enough to make a difference. Keep holding her dear to your heart.
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Very inspiring. She will live on in the minds and hearts of all those she touched.
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