IRENE'S OBITUARY

Name:

Irene Hall Garn

Date:

January 19th, 1941 - July 2nd, 2013

Obituary:

Irene Hall Garn, 72. After battling cancer for 4 years Irene passed away peacefully at home on July 2, 2013, with her husband of 51 years by her side. Irene was born on January 19, 1941, in Tremonton, Utah. She is preceded in death by her parents, Harold and Vera Hall and brothers Byron (Hazel) and Roland. She is survived by her sister-in-law Norma Hall and her three sisters Jean Stevenson (Evan), Norma Coombs (Theo), and Nadine Woodhead (Robert). She is also survived by her husband Daryl Hodges Garn, her children: Brad Garn (Laura), Dana Garry (Steve), Gayla Peterson (Chuck), Greg Garn (Rebecca), Byron Garn (Michelle), and Kevin Garn (Tara) along with 30 grandchildren and 2 great-grandchildren who all live in the Phoenix area. More than anything else Irene loved being a wife, mother and homemaker. She devoted her life to serving her family and serving in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in many capacities. She spent 5 years serving with her husband in Hong Kong and an additional year and a half as the Mesa Arizona Temple Matron. She enjoyed writing family histories, documenting them with photos and publishing them. She was a wonderful example to all who knew her. Visitation is Friday, July 5, 2013 from 6-8 PM at Bunker’s Garden Chapel, 33 N. Centennial Way, Mesa 85201. Funeral services will be Saturday, July 6, 2013, at 10 AM, preceded by a visitation at 9 AM at the LDS Stake Center, 5350 E. McLellan, Mesa 85205. In lieu of flowers please consider making a contribution to the general missionary fund of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints at http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/missionary/.

Visitations:

6:00PM to 8:00PM on Friday, July 5th, 2013 at Bunker's Garden Chapel (map/driving directions)

9:00AM to 9:45AM on Saturday, July 6th, 2013 at LDS Alta Mesa Stake Center (map/driving directions)

Services:

10:00AM at LDS Alta Mesa Stake Center on Saturday, July 6th, 2013 (map/driving directions)

RELIEVED FROM HER SUFFERING

Last Thursday we had another significant setback, if we can really call it that.  We met with Dr. Kelly Tobias, a pain specialist.  We must have been her last patient because we were with her for an hour and a half. She determined that Irene was not healthy enough to proceed with the planned chemotherapy the next day.  For several days Irene has not been able to speak the words that she wants to speak.  Sometimes it is worse than others and has seemed to continually get a little harder for her to communicate.  Near the end of the appointment, kind of out of nowhere, Irene asked Dr. Tobias, "What is the time frame"  As I write this I am not sure those were her exact words, but I looked at her and was wondering what she was asking about.  Dr. Tobias turned to her and in a very kind and professional manner explained that it is often very difficult to discuss this issue, but that she thought Irene may have a month or two left.  It was a sweet moment and I think Irene understood what she was saying.  Dr. Tobias explained that she would consult with Dr. Homsi and she would have Hospice of the Valley contact us. 
 

By Saturday afternoon Irene was resting comfortably in a hospital bed placed at the foot of our bed.  All of our children, many of the grandchildren and dear friends have come to visit.  She was able to recognize everyone and communicate her love, but could not quite get all the words out that she would like to speak.  Even sipping ice water, which she loves, was getting difficult.  The pain meds had been changed to liquids rather than tablets and capsules because she had some difficulty in swallowing the pills. The hospice nurses suspected that her condition may go down rather quickly, but that did not seem to be the case to me.  We have had some sacred moments together when she wanted to talk about her dying.  Neither of us thought that would happen anytime soon. 
 

Sunday night Irene drifted into a coma and continued unresponsive until she quietly passed away this morning at 9:10 a.m.  Dana, Gayla and I spent the last twelve hours at her side.
 

Her funeral will be on Saturday, July 6, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. at the Mesa Alta Mesa Stake Center located at 5250 East McLellan, Mesa, AZ 85205.  A viewing will be held at the Bunker Family Memorial Chapel on Centennial Way in downtown Mesa on Friday, July 5, 2013 from 6:00 to 8:00 p.m. There will also be a viewing at the stake center on Saturday at 9:00 a.m. before the service.
 

 

We are eternally grateful for the love and concern expressed by so many dear friends.  We are at peace and know that she is "...encircled eternally in the arms of His love."