This is an email Becky (Bunn) Krizan sent me on Friday, 13 Oct 2000 about the untimely death of her daughter, Regina Evans. She was called Gina. Becky has two other grandchildren through another of her children. Becky and I correspond via email about genealogy and she also send me lots of jokes. Becky and I are 2nd cousins through the Mahnke line, but as far as I know we never met, but we may have when we were little. See sent me this after she told me of her daughter's death and I expressed sorrow about it. One thing I'd said was that my dad died when I was 12 and so I know what it's like to grow up without a natural parent around (I was referring to her grandson Jacob's situation). Gina died of lupus at age 22 on May 7, 2000 and Jacob was 5 at the time. I think her words bespeak to us all and she granted permission to post this here:

Thank you Randy, I appreciate your sympathy. I miss her bad. Jacob, her son, lives with us now, we will keep him and raise him. The courts awarded us custody/guardianship, after contacting his father in Minnesota, who didn't want him.

Thats okay - we are glad to have him. What a joy! Who ever figured that at 46 I'd start all over again with a 5 year old?! Tonsillitis, Power Rangers, School registrations, measles shots, day care, and snow suits, and gee-grandma, don't you know about Power Puff Girls (pronounced grils). I hugged Gina so hard when I was saying goodbye, and I told her that of all the gifts she had given me, and all the joy she had brought into my life - he was the best thing ever! At least I got to hold her, and tell her I loved her, and thank her for everything before the light faded from her eyes. God has been kind to me, Randy - he never took anyone away from me without I had the chance to do that. At least not since my Grandma Mary (Mahnke) May.

Thanks again.

Becky