I woke I woke up this morning and violated a personal ideal: I read Facebook instead of scripture. I was quickly reminded that life goes on and that life is good even when it's not.
I saw that today is my friend Amy's birthday. One of my earliest memories of her was when she was visiting our youth ministry and taking notes and nodding in agreement to something I was saying. It was encouraging. I was privileged to officiate her wedding. She recently posted pictures of her beautiful 2 year old. She still encourages me. Her life encourages me.
I saw on Facebook that today is my youth ministry friend Harvey's 21st wedding anniversary. He was a little later in life getting married like I was. I don't know if he ever felt like it would never happen. I often felt that way. But now he's celebrating 21 years of marriage and being the Dad to a couple beautiful children.
I saw honeymoon pics and the celebration of one week of married bliss from another former "youth", Michelle. She's godly and brilliant pretty and looks so happy.
Another kid, super talented Emily is getting married today.
And my friend Chad who fell in love with a kid he and his wife fostered several months ago...got her back today (or recently).
Life goes on, right? And life is a gift and it is good even with the pain that it sometimes brings.
I woke up this morning knowing that 10 years ago on a Sunday morning I woke up and wrote my best friend's obituary.
I'm glad I looked at Facebook for all the reminders about the good on this day and everyday.
Kimberly Katherine Batey White
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Kimberly Katherine Batey White, 34, of Gulfport, passed away on Sunday, March 12, 2006 in New Orleans.
Kim, born in Fremont, Ohio, has been a life-long resident of Gulfport. In 1989 she graduated from Gulfport High School, where she was named Student of the Year. In 1995 Kim graduated from the University of South Alabama with a Bachelor of Science degree in Nursing. For the last 10 years, Kim has worked at Memorial Hospital of Gulfport in the Cardiac Observation Unit. She was a member of Bayou View Baptist Church.
Kim was diagnosed with Cystic Fibrosis when she was six weeks old but she did not die from CF, rather, she lived with it. In fact, she outlived all of the projections that were made about her life-span. When others would have taken advantage of their disability, Kim refused to be treated differently or to act differently. When she could have performed poorly in school due to frequent hospitalizations, she excelled both in high school and in college. Kim received a gift of life in the form of a double lung transplant 8 years ago. She used those extra years well as a caregiver at Memorial Hospital and as a Proverbs 31 woman. She was her husband's best friend and an encouragement and inspiration to all who knew her. Our lives are better because of Kim.
Kim was preceded in death by her grandfather, T.W. "Pappy" Milner, Jr.; grandmother, Eleanor Stribling Milner; step-grandmother, Innabeth Melvin Milner; and paternal grandparents, Gerald and Mary Batey.
Kim is survived by her husband of 9 years, Clinton White of Gulfport; her parents, Gerald "Gary" and Eleanor Batey, Jr. of Gulfport; sister, Mary Elizabeth Batey of Semmes, Alabama; father-in-law, John White and his wife, Mae of Amory, MS; mother-in-law, Jo Ann White of Hatley, MS; uncle and aunt, Ambassador Thomas and Katherine Anderson of Middleburg, Virginia; uncle, Tommy Milner, III of Gulfport; aunt , Patricia Cook and her husband, John, of Woodville, Ohio; sister-in-law, Vicki Raulin and husband, Michael of Douglasville, Georgia; sister-in-law, Janet Tuttle of Hatley; brother-in-law, John White and Pam of Vicksburg, MS; and by numerous nieces, nephews, great-nieces & nephews, and cousins.
Visitation will be on Wednesday, March 15, 2006 from 12 Noon until 2:00 p.m. at Bayou View Baptist Church in Gulfport. The funeral service and celebration of her life will follow at 2:00 p.m. Interment will be in Evergreen Cemetery in Gulfport.
Memorial contributions may be made to MS Organ and Recovery Agency, 12 River Bend Place, Jackson, MS 39208 (www.msora.org); or to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation (www.cff.org).
Arrangements by Riemann Memorial Funeral Home in Gulfport. An online guestbook may be viewed and signed via Riemannfuneralhomes.com.
Published in The Sun Herald on Mar. 14, 2006
