A Special Edition of "Celebration of Life", hosted by Jubilee News

n o i t a r b ele Life of

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George and Ann Kirchner March 20, 1932 /1934 - January 29, 2019 Together on Earth...

Together in Heaven -Perryopolis, PA-

Love Inspiration Family Eternity

Jason Polinsky

July 22, 1982 - April 30, 2002

Dorothy J. Booth

“The Incredible Cardinal Miracle” April 24, 1921 - January 9, 2019

-Charles City, VA-

“A Son’s Untimely Death; A Father’s Sign From Heaven” -West Newton, PA-

Together Again...

George and Ann Kirchner March 20, 1932 /1934 - January 29, 2019 Celebration of Life

George and Ann Kirchner George and Ann were residing at the Residence at Hilltop in Monongahela, PA. when Ann took ill Tuesday, January 22nd, 2019. Within a day, George decided he didn’t want to live without Ann and passed away also. George and Ann were born on the same date: March 20th, 1932 and 1934 respectively, and died on the same day, January 29th, 2019. George passed away 5 hours before Ann. We are thinking he was checking everything out for her, then she went. George was 86 years old and Ann was 84 years old.

George was in the Army from 1953-1955.

He was stationed in Germany. Earlier in his working career he worked in the coal mines, helped construct the MasontownCarmichaels bridge and then started working at Duquesne Light in Elizabeth for 34 years.

George was a lifelong hunter and fisherman.

His son, Larry, will dearly miss their hunting trips.

Ann was a devoted wife and mother. Our fondest memories of Ann were her bread-making, pie-making and overall baking. Ann was also a devoted Uniontown Mall shopper. We will dearly miss our shopping excursions with mom.

Ann and George were

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truly devoted to each other throughout life and in death. They were lucky and were able to travel the world.

George was proceeded in death by his parents Frederick and Monica of Masontown. George has a surviving brother John Kirchner and his wife Shirley of Perryopolis.

Ann was proceeded in death by her parents Ed and Iola of Masontown.

Ann was the last of her siblings.

George and Ann are survived by the following children: Christal Masney and husband Frank of Perryopolis; Brenda Miller and husband Jeff of Dawson; Larry Kirchner and wife Rhonda of Perryopolis; Joey White and husband Alan of Perryopolis.

George and Ann are survived by the following grandchildren: Brian and Theresa Masney; Rachel and Craig Miller; Amanda and Jessica White; Angela and Fred Kirchner.

George and Ann are survived by 4 1/2 greatgrandchildren: Brady, Olivia, Simon, Sam and a new little one on the way.

Visitation for George and Ann Kirchner was at the Blair Lowther Funeral home. They will be shown on Friday February 1, 2019 from 2-8. There was a viewing on Saturday, February 2, 2019, at the Perryopolis Methodist Church from 9am10:30am. At 10:30am there was a funeral service. George and Ann was interred at the Mennonite Cemetery in Masontown. A celebration of their life luncheon wias held at the Perryopolis Methodist Church after the service was over.

Katrina’s Tatoo in Honor of “George and Ann”

Ann and George were one of the sweetest couples I have ever taken care of in my almost 7 years at The Residence at Hilltop. Not only were they family here but they were also family friends of my grandparents.

I treat all the residents like my own family, but with George and Ann, you couldn’t help yourself to give them extra love. My tattoo of Raggedy Ann and Andy represents not only Ann’s interest in the characters, but it represents their love for each other from the day they met until the day they went home to God. We miss them here every day.

Katrina Brooks, Medical Technician & Resident Care Aide “Residence At Hilltop”

GEORGE AND ANN KIRCHNER “A BIRTHDAY TRIBUTE!”

Ann and George Kirchner were married for 65 wonderful years and were seldom apart.

They truly never had an unkind word between them. They met while they were both in high school, Ann was fifteen and George was seventeen. Ann went to Masontown public high school and George went to All Saints School across the street in Masontown, PA. George would whistle at Ann from afar and Ann would laugh and run home with her sister, Jerry.

Ann was the prettiest girl George ever saw! One day, they got to talking and George was invited to Ann’s house for dinner because it was Ann’s birthday.

George told her: ‘It’s my birthday too.’ They both thought that was pretty cool, both born on the same day: March 20th, born two years apart. George was born in 1932 and Ann was born in 1934.

They dated for several years and Ann kept the bracelet and necklace given to her by George when she turned sweet sixteen. She wore

that bracelet and necklace frequently through her adult life even though it was brass and became tarnished.

In 1953, George was drafted into the Army and went off to basic training. After basic training, he came

after that, Brenda was born.

George worked at the Robena coal mine and Ann was a full-time housewife and mother.

They lived in Masontown, PA. and then George was transferred to the Duquesne Light

back to Masontown so that he and Ann could be married. They were married in Winchester, VA on August 7th, 1953 and Ann’s parents were witnesses. Ann wrote weekly love letters to George that he kept and brought back home with him. Less than a year after George was out of the Army, their first child, Christal, was born and less than two years

Power station in Elizabeth. That’s when they decided to move to Perryopolis.

George and Ann lived in the same house in Perryopolis, PA since 1961. The family of four grew to a family of six after that when Larry and Joey were born.

From that point on, they lived in Perryopolis for the rest of their lives, except for the last year

older people who couldn’t get out of their houses.

Every Easter in our family, that was our tradition and everybody in town knew her for that.” Larry described it: “It was braided bread that she would make, and it was beautiful.”

Rhonda reminisced how the kids would make “little snakes” out of dough, but it was really the “braids” for the bread.”

Ann loved to celebrate the holidays and always made holiay foods and baked goods. She made bread and her own jams and jellies and how she loved to can. Larry chimed in: “She made wine. She made pickles and jellies, and if something was going to go to waste and it was free,

she’d pick it and can it!”

Rhonda continued, “George was an avid Gardner and grew zucchinis and cucumbers. He had the picnic table lined up with so many zucchinis and cucumbers, and Mom would make tons of bread and butter pickles. She always donated them to the Roast Beef Dinner [held] in October at the Methodist Church and they were delicious!”

Ann made bread every other day for 30 years. Larry shared a childhood memory: “One day when I was in grade school, I came home all excited and I couldn't wait to tell my mother that the bread they had at school was so good and it didn't have no holes in it. Well, she was insulted, and

when they moved to The Residence at Hilltop Assisted Living Facility in Monongahela, PA. Every year George and Ann had a birthday party and would put ALL of their candles on one birthday cake. When George turned 62 and Ann turned 60, they had 122 candles on the cake! The smoke alarm would go off because there was so much smoke in the house. Plus, there was so much melted wax on the top of the cake that their birthday cake was starting to become uneatable. That’s when Ann started making a ‘candle’ cake--a sheet cake with some powdered sugar on top.

That way they could have their cake and eat it too!

There would be only one year that all of the candles would not be placed on to one cake, and it would be the last year they would spend together on earth. Instead, they would share their birthday with their new extended family, their newfound family at Residence at Hilltop. Cupcakes were brought and eaten by everybody at Residence at Hilltop.

ANN’S FAVORITE INGREDIENT: “LOVE”

Ann was a member and president of the Perryopolis Flower Club for several years. George and Ann attended the Methodist Church in both Layton and Perryopolis where she was a valued volunteer and Sunday School teacher for over 50 years.

But Ann was also a wonderful cook and baker and was known as the “Pie Lady”. Rhonda shared, “When the church had a fundraiser, Ann would help make pies with a group of women. She was the one who rolled out the dough and together this group of devoted women would make 100 pies to raise money for the church.

And they would do this over and over again.”

Rhonda continued: “Everybody knew her pies around town.

She would not sell them.

She would give them away. One woman wanted pies for Thanksgiving and Ann said, ‘Just come up and get them.’ When the woman asked, ‘How much do I owe you?’ Ann said, ‘Oh no, I could never charge you for them.’

She only sold them for the church so the church could make money.

“And she was a wonderful bread maker. She handed out challah bread to family and friends and everybody in town. She always went to Altmeyer’s to buy tea towels to wrap the bread in that was hand-delivered to the

All Story Sequences were written by Christal Masney (unless noted ) with Quotes from Larry and Rhonda Kirchner.

Cover Photo Taken by Debbie Patteson Cover Design and Layout by Hazel K. Palmer

she said, 'Yep! That was store bread!’ We had never had that before.

We always ate her homemade bread and it was always airy.”

Then Larry remembered the time when his mother had just bottled her wine.

When he came home from school, he can still remember how she was “giggling and bubbly walking down the street” to meet them.

He laughingly said to her: “I know what today was! It was bottling day!”

At Christmas time, Ann loved to shop and especially loved Black Friday shopping trips with her daughters and granddaughters.

They would leave home around 4 or 5am and wouldn’t come back until midnight. Rhonda shared, “Every holiday there would be 20 of us, the kids and grandkids.

George and Ann had a little tiny house and she would cook the meals and we all just sat around the table. It was a wonderful tradition to have. Family came first for Ann no matter what.”

George and Ann were role models for their children and grandchildren and there was always a lot of food, love and laughter in the Kirchner household and Ann would always kiss George. Everything Ann did was made with LOVE. It was her main ingredient.

GEORGE, “A GENTLE AND QUIET MAN”

While George was in basic training, the Korean Armistice Agreement was signed so he was sent to Germany instead of being sent to the Korean war. This is where George met his life-long best friend, Dean, in the Army.

Rhonda explained, “They were together in a bunkhouse and got to know each other. It turned out they were both from Pennsylvania and they both liked fishing and hunting and farming.”

George and Dean were both raised on a farm in northern PA and during their time in the Army, George and Dean toured Europe and became life-long buddies.

Rhonda shared, “George and Ann and the four children would vacation in the summer together with Dean and his family.” They were their extended family and

Christal, Brenda, Larry and Joey were all raised with Dean and his family who played a major role in their lives.

George was an avid hunter and fisherman and he loved to go to Wyoming to hunt

gear and brought everyone’s lunch.

George, who was also a gun collector loaded his own shells. Rhonda chuckled as she recalled: “Ann and I could never kill a deer.

We always carried a gun and walked with

mule deer and antelope with Dean. Ann went on these trips along with their son Larry and sometimes Larry’s wife Rhonda would come along. Ann would help carry the

them. They just enjoyed us coming along.”

George was a gentle and quiet man and both he and Ann loved to vacation. They went on Caribbean cruises several times a

By Hazel K. Palmer For Celebration of Life In the last year of both of their lives, they moved to Residence at Hilltop Assisted Living Facility in Monongahela, PA. Rhonda shared, “George needed help and Ann could no longer take care of him.

George said he would only go if Ann would go with him.”

But it was also the other way around.

There was a growing concern for George and Ann’s well-being as family began their search to help them find an assisted living facility. Larry said, “We told Mom she didn't have to be in a place like that, but Dad did.

But she said: ‘If he's going, I'm going!’

“George’s Parkinson's Disease was accelerating over the years and Mom took care of him very well for most of those years. But when her own health spiraled downward, she was unable to take care of him any longer. If Mom’s health would have held up, she would have completely taken care of him.”

Rhonda added: “She had several strokes through the course of her life that took a toll on her.”

As George and Ann were preparing to move into a personal care facility, they specifically requested to be in the same room together and not apart.

Rhonda shared, “That's why they went to Residence at Hilltop. We checked seven different homes and most of them wanted to put dad in one room and

Mom in another room down the hall from one another. But we would say ‘No, they have to be together.’ Honestly, it was really hard to find a place where they could be together. But Residence at Hilltop seemed to fit them.

Tamlynn Bachetti, the marketing director at Residence at Hilltop who does the admissions for the facility shared her experience: “I was one of the first people who got to

aviary. They brought us a book with all of the sounds the different birds make. They were wonderful! Ann would comfort everybody.

She would be pushing George back to his room, and she would touch someone’s cheek and just give them that motherly comfort, especially to those residents who are confused. She would be so kind in her grace and her poise and patience. It was un-

Celebration of Life

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ANN AND GEORGE...

THE EARLY YEARS

year. They went to Hawaii and on an Alaskan cruise. They went to England several times to visit Ann’s childhood friend, Shelia.”

Sheila was Ann’s long-distance childhood friend.

When Ann was in grade school, her assignment was to write a letter to a child in another country. Her letter was sent to Shelia Naden in England and they became life-long friends. Shelia would visit George and Ann in Perryopolis several times and George and Ann visited Shelia in England several times.

Sheila, since passed away as well as Dean.

Dean Bedford passed away at the age of 85 on May 3rd, 2016. In the list of family members written in Dean’s obituary, it included this: “his dear Army buddy, George and Ann Kirchner (and family) of Perryopolis.

TOGETHER AGAIN... AND “GEORGE LED THE WAY”

George passed away at 4 am on January 29th, 2019. He was the first to go, but before he did, he reached his hand over and said ‘Ann, it’s ok.

Come with me’.

meet George and Ann. It was right before Thanksgiving and I had laryngitis and couldn't talk. We were in their home and George and Ann were so wonderful and Larry their son was amazing, and Rhonda was a doll.

As we were getting ready to leave, Ann popped up and said: ‘Am I coming with you right now?’ It was so sweet because they were so looking forward to be together and to be in a place where they knew they could get help.”

Rhonda chimed in: “They were so good to them. Nurses would kiss George and tell Ann how beautiful she was. They cared about them. They really did.

They see everybody as their own family.”

Tamlynn shared, “For Ann, it was a place where she could be social and at the same time be with George as well. She got the best of both worlds.

And they loved the

matched and I've never seen anybody like that.

She flowed in what she walked in. She was just an angel, and you could see how much George worshipped her and she was so dedicated to him. It was the love story to end all love stories. It really was.”

But then a series of events happened health-wise with both George and Ann. “Ann took ill and it was known that she would pass away within hours or days. But George could not live without his life-long sweetheart. He had a stroke and it was known that he too would pass away quickly.” Christal relayed. Rhonda shared, “Their beds were

pushed together for a few days and their hands were intertwined most of the time.”

When George and Ann transitioned to Heaven, all their kids were gathered together. George passed away at 4 am on January 29th, 2019. He was the first to go, but before he did, he reached his hand over and said ‘Ann, it’s ok. Come with me’. Ann passed away at 9:15 am that same day.

Tamlynn will never forget the day of their passing: “When they passed away, it really tore everybody up here at Residence at Hilltop. We were all in tears hugging each other. It was a sad day, but George and Ann were blessed because they went together.”

A little less than two months later, the birthday they had shared for over 65 years on March 20th, 2019, was spent in Heaven. Rhonda said there would have been 172 candles on their cake. Tamylnn shared something Christal said that she’s never forgotten: “George came into the world first to make sure it was okay for Ann, and then George left the world first to make sure that Heaven was okay for Ann.” Together forever… in Heaven.

“The Kirchner Family (Lft. to rt.) Christal, Larry, Joey and Brenda

Precious Memories...

George and Ann Kirchner were a beautiful couple.

I only knew them for a year or so, but in that time I loved them both dearly. I always teased Ann when she came down for breakfast with curlers in her hair.

As time went on, I could see how they loved one another and how they were truly devoted to one another.

God saw fit to take them both on the same day only five hours apart. Truly, their love for one another runs deep and I love and miss them very much.

Bonnie Palfrey, Activities Assistant, Residence at Hilltop

Larry and “Dad”

Celebration of Life

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Dorothy Booth’s

“Cardinal From Heaven” Dorothy J. Booth

Dorothy J. Booth of Charles City, Virginia went to be with the Lord on January 9, 2019 at the age of 97.

She was born on April 24, 1921 in Leesburg, Florida. She is survived by two daughters and their husbands: Jeanne and David Wright of Rancho Cordova, California and Debbie and Brian Patteson of Charles City, Virginia, grandchildren Gina Fer-

guson, Lori Storey, David Wright, Jonathan Wright, Jeff Patteson, Emily Diggs, Havalah Maxwell, Natalie DeSouza, Joseph Patteson, Jacob Patteson and Rachael Patteson, and 23 great grandchildren.Services were held Saturday, January 19 at 2:00 pm at New Town Methodist Church, 5209 Monticello Ave. Williamsburg, VA 23188.

A 14-year-old Family Promise was fulfilled when A cardinal was sent from Heaven as a “Sign” to her two daughters that “Mom” made it to Heaven and all is+ well.

Dorothy arrived...

Dorothy asked...

Dorothy’s family believed...

God said, “Yes”.

Angela Patteson, grandaughter of Dorothy, stands to the left, with Debbie Patteson and Jeanne Wright, Dorothy’s two daughters.

DOROTHY BOOTH’S PROMISE: “I’LL SEE WHAT I CAN DO”

Debbie Patteson and Jeanne Wright’s mother, Dorothy Booth, was 97 years old when she passed away on January 9th, 2019. Ten days later on January 19th, a Celebration Memorial service was held at Newtown Methodist church located in Williamsburg Virginia. But it’s what happened the next day that went beyond the scope of imagination.

Debbie described her mother: “She was an amazing lady. She was very childlike and just didn't worry. She believed God for everything. She always said I worried for her, so why should she worry?”

She never complained about anything and she was very grateful for Brian and I who cared for her all these years. She had a happy heart and she laughed all the time.

And she would laugh

at herself when she would do something silly. She loved the Lord and her family was the most important thing to her. She loved being with her family.”

For 26 years,

not only her mother’s heart, but that of her entire family. Debbie explained, “I had read a story in Guideposts about a woman who was mourning the death of her son. She was an avid bird lover with feeders

Dorothy Booth lived with Debbie and her husband Brian in Charles City, Virginia.

“My father passed away 45 years ago, and she never remarried.” Debbie explained. “He was the love of her life.”

It was back in 2005, fourteen years earlier, when Dorothy was 83 years old that Debbie was inspired to ask her mother a heart-warming question, one that touched

around her house, and she asked God to send her a message from her son (in heaven) that he was alright. One week later on her birthday, cardinals were everywhere in her yard.

They were in the trees and her bushes were filled with hundreds of red birds! They stayed the whole day and she’s never seen a red bird in her yard since.

“My mother loved birds, and we

So, we started asking mom, whenever she got to Heaven, if she would ask the Lord to send us a sign that she was there and happy and that all was well.

And she would say: ‘I'll see what I can do!’”

have a window in our home where there’s a bird feeder inside the window where the birds cannot see in, but we can see out.

Anyway, that story was really amazing to me and I thought: ‘Wow! Why can’t we ask the same thing and maybe God would do that for my sister and I.’ So, we started asking mom, whenever she got to Heaven, if she would ask the Lord to send us a sign that she was there and happy and that all was well.

And she would say: ‘I'll see what I can do!’”

Angela, Debbie’s daughter-in-law fondly referred to Dorothy as Grandma.

She said: “There were a lot of close calls over the years when we thought Grandma was going to go to heaven, and then she would bounce back again. So, this [cardinal request] went on for many years of us talking to her about this.”

DOROTHY GOES TO HEAVEN;

“THE CARDINAL AT THE WINDOW”

Dorothy was in a nursing home the last year of her life. She had gotten pneumonia In December of 2018.

Debbie explained, “She was in the hospital for about a week and then came back to the nursing home. I think that all she went through was too much for her body, but she passed away of natural causes.

“Towards the end, she wasn't very responsive, and the family was called together.” Angela said, “I felt that I was supposed to go and sing over her, but I waited awhile because there were so many people in the room. People were crying and I was waiting for the right moment. And then at one point, Debbie asked me to sing. So, Michael, my brotherin-law, myself and the nurse were probably

the main ones who led the singing over her.

We sang: ‘Amazing Grace’ and ‘I Can only imagine’ and a few of the older hymns she liked.” The following morning, Dorothy transitioned to Heaven.

Dorothy loved her church: Jamestown Christian Fellowship, however her Celebration of Life service was held at New Town Methodist Church in Williamsburg, Virginia with her pastors from Christian Fellowship joining in.

As family remembered the conversational reminders throughout the years of asking God if He would send a cardinal as a sign that she was

alright, on the day before the Celebration service, Dorothy’s two daughters shared their story with Pastor Wade Trump and his wife Lisa. One thing in particular they shared was about the specific prayer prayed asking that the Lord would do it in such a way that they wouldn’t ever expect--in a way family wouldn't ever dream of. This was Jeanne's specific prayer that the family all knew about and had come into agreement with. Pastor Wade Trump and his wife Lisa tenderly listened and then together, held hands with Jeanne and Debbie and prayed that God would grant this specific request.

Story Sequences Written by Hazel K. Palmer for Celebration of Life

Dorothy’s Celebration of Life service was held that next day as planned, but what happened the day after the service superseded all they could ever imagine. Debbie shared: “We were all sitting around playing canasta the day after the Celebration service on January 20th when we heard a tap on the window sill. My husband and I walked out on the porch and we didn't see anything. I went back in the house because it was really cold. But then my husband saw our dog standing over something. He went over to see what it was and there was a male cardinal on the ground. He picked it up in his hand and it was very much alive and aware, and he brought it inside.”

Continued on next pg.

The first thing they thought: “Is this the sign we’ve been waiting for? Is this our miracle? Is this our cardinal?” Debbie excitedly said, “Let me hold it!” She shared, “We pet it, we held it, we took pictures of it and we were like 10 minutes inside the house with this bird!

We were saying, ‘Oh God! Did you send this to us? We were so excited! And then we went outside and had about 10 more minutes with the bird.”

That's when a short video clip was taken of their attempt to release a bird that did not want to be released. The video went viral on Facebook, a video that captured both daughters’ overwhelming joy and excitement. When Debbie attempted to release the bird, it flew back on to her arm, unwilling to leave them. That specific time fueled emotions that created an unforgettable moment as they took in their incredible miracle. “After that, we set the bird up on a tree branch and it happily flew away” Debbie said. “It was very much present with us and it was a beautiful experience. We’re just astounded by it-something we couldn't even ask or imagine and the fact that we were all together! The way it happened was perfect! My husband Brian and I, and my sister Jeanne and her husband David, my sister's daughter Lori and her daughter Lily were all there!”

Angela shared, “I remember getting a text message when it happened, and my mother-in-law was so excited. We were all beside ourselves reading the text! Dorothy’s granddaughters, Rachel and Emily were together, and the passenger texted back what was being relayed: ‘I'm crying! We have to pull the car over!’ The family knew how much they wanted this and how long they had been praying for this.”

It was speculated that Dorothy played her favorite game of Canasta since around 1988. Debbie laughed at the memory of how her son who was much younger back then, learned his letters while everyone played cards! He was 5 years old at the time.

Playing Canasta was a time to unite friends and family together and the perfect time to receive a message from Heaven while sitting and playing it in the home where Dorothy lived. Little did they know, there was more to come!

THE CARDINAL RETURNS

What was thought to be a one-time visitation, ended up being the FIRST of five cardinal visitations in all.

Two weeks to the day of the first cardinal visitation with Dorothy’s immediate family, two of Dorothy’s special long-time friends were congregated in Dorothy's house. Debbie shared, “Bill and Wesley Potter were playing a game of Canasta, my mother's favorite card game, when we heard the same little tap at the window sill. I went out this time and there it was again, and I brought

the bird back inside! This time, I found it was just a little bit away from the window.

“We took another video of us holding

amazed at the goodness of God sending a cardinal a third time.

It was unknown if it was the same male cardinal that visited all three times. It was too difficult to really tell.

But there was another cardinal visitation -a fourth encounter.

Unlike the first three visitations, this cardinal was a female and again, it was a visitation for “one”: Debbie. Debbie shared, “I was here [at the house] by myself and was going through a hard time miss-

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First Visitation

it inside the house, and then I went outside to try to release it and it went on my shoulder and again, he didn’t want to leave! So, I walked back inside with him on my shoulder and I was in the house for just a few minutes in the living room, and that's when he decided to take off. We opened the front door and he flew out of the house and sat up in the wisteria vine above our doorway awhile before he flew off. That next morning, after the second appearance, there were about 30 Cardinals up in the tree and on the picnic table, and that has never happened in our 36 years of living here!”

THE CARDINAL VISITATIONS CONTINUE

Debbie shared still another third unexpected cardinal visitation that had not yet been shared publicly. Debbie explained, “My husband was in the house and he was alone when it happened the third time.

He heard the familiar tap on the window sill, and went outside and there was the cardinal again. He picked it up and brought it inside and held it for a while.”

Debbie pondered over this third visitation realizing that every encounter up until then was with a different group of people, a message from heaven sent specifically, however, there was something about this third visitation that Brian was by himself. Debbie shared her thoughts: “I was thinking about that.

There are not many husbands who would have the grace and the patience that he had to help care for my mother; a husband who would welcome his mother-inlaw into his home for as long as my husband did.

And I honor him for doing that. His mother passed away soon after we got married and he took care of Mom like she was his mom. He did many things to care for her, so maybe mom wanted the Lord to send a cardinal specifically to him to thank him, because that cardinal came just for him that day.

That was the third time the Cardinal visited.”

Angela and Debbie were having some “mother/daughter-inlaw time” eating dinner together at a restaurant when the cardinal visited Brian that third time. Brian snapped a picture and texted it to them saying: Look who came again.” Excitement rose up and they were

Celebration of Life

head when she was sick.

All of a sudden, something hit her bedroom window.

Never had the cardinal come to that window! It’s in the back of the house and there’s nothing that would draw birds to it anyway. But sure enough, Brian went outside to check it out and there was a cardinal sitting on a branch beside the window and two red feathers were left on the bedroom window sill.”

Two feathers, one for each of Dorothy’s daughters were left behind which will now become a keepsake. A song has since been written about the family’s encounters, written and sung

by Psalmist and Worshipper Angela Patteson called: “A Cardinal Miracle”.

To date, five encounters will be remembered and passed down the family line of how Dorothy Booth went to Heaven and asked God to send her daughters a cardinal to let them know she had made it and was alright. But God didn’t do it only once, He did it five times because of the joy it brought Him that He was asked to do such a thing.

Cardinals continue to congregate in the yard where Dorothy once lived, a sight that’s never been seen before. How long the visitations will go on, the family has not a clue, but they do know this: their prayers, together with Dorothy’s request that God would send a cardinal on her behalf to her daughters, was more than fulfilled. God took delight in their request and in “HIS” excitement and ‘HIS” joy, He watched their reactions as He continued to spring one surprise after another, a message sent from Heaven to earth to a place called: “Charles City, Virginia.”

Thanks Dorothy!

Message received!

Second Visitation

Third Visitation

And then came visitation number five. On April 4th, 2019, a cardinal came for a fifth visit to Debbie, but this time it was different. ing my mom and had been crying for a couple of days. Again, I heard something at the window, and I went outside and picked up a female cardinal. I came inside and held it for a while and then went back outside and sat at the picnic table with it. It was with me for almost an hour before she decided to fly away. It stayed with me and I took a picture of it and a little video of it up in the tree. It stayed in the tree for quite a while moving from branch to branch. It was so comforting to me because I was really in a hard place and I believe the Lord sent it to comfort me.”

And then came visitation number five.

On April 4th, 2019, a cardinal came for a fifth visit to Debbie, but this time it was different. Angela explained, “She was laying on her bed, unable to get up because she was having a dizzy spell and wasn’t feeling well. She was remembering how her mother would always put a cold washrag on her

Fourth Visitation

To view “video footage” of the cardinal visitation, visit “Jubilee News” on Facebook.

A Sign From Heaven...

Jason Polinsky

Celebration of

July 22, 1982 - April 30, 2002

A FATHER’S LOVE FOR HIS SON (Youngwood, PA) Don Polinsky and his son Jason had always been very close. On April 30th, 2002, Jason’s sudden death at the age of 19 took a tremendous toll on this father. How could anyone ever understand the overwhelming grief of a father suddenly losing his only son, except for someone who had experienced it himself, having walked in his shoes.

“Jason and I were as close as a father and son could be.” Don stated. “Because of the way I was raised, I decided I would raise him where a day would not go by without me telling him how much I loved him. I made sure he always knew how much he meant to me.

“Jason was a very smart kid, a very personable kid and everybody liked him. He worked as an employee at Vic’s Flicks video store in Scottdale, and people would stop in just to talk to him. I could meet him in a mall when he was with a bunch of his friends, and he would come over to me and hug me--something that not all teens would do if they saw a parent in public while with their friends.”

To this day, Don can visualize Jason as a small boy

Photo by Amber Rae Photography

Don and Nancy Polinsky

running in the yard and playing at the of three, his father chasing him and having fun together.

Fast forward 16 years later. Don ends up going through a painful divorce and then meets Nancy Echard at the Westmoreland Juvenile Detention Center where they both worked. Nancy and Don would date for three years

and then marry in March of 2003.

Nancy shared, “I knew Jason and he had been to the house numerous times for holidays etc. before we were married. He told Don he was very happy Don had met me. I loved Jason and he was going to be his dad's best man at our wedding. I think he thought

WHY GOD?

Don, a man who remains active in his church and openly professes his faith and love for Jesus was devastated beyond comprehension. Don Shared, “I started asking God: 'Why? I had prayed every night that God would take care of him.’ I did know that he was born again when he was a teenager, but he fell off the wagon [per se].”

In his desperate search for peace, one of the scriptures Don held on to was the “Parable of the Lost Lamb” where it states that Jesus would thoroughly search for the one lost lamb and leave the ninety-nine other sheep just to find it because it is never the desire of the Heavenly Father that a single believer should be lost. And Jason had gotten lost all because an outside force had intruded into his life at the age of nine causing confusion which caused him to lose his way.

In a desperate attempt to make sense of it all, Don searched Jason’s computer. He shared, “There were many things on there that I eventually read. But the one

Three-Year-Old Jason Polinsky Story Sequences Written by Hazel K. Palmer as Told to Her by Don and Nancy Polinsky

it was a blessing to his dad that we were going to be married because Don had been through so much throughout his life, and he was happy for him. I was fortunate to have gotten to know Jason.”

Don added, “Jason was very close to Nancy and he had planned to go to Cambria County Community College in Johnstown, so Nancy and I went up to see him about two weeks before his death. He was fine, and I didn't see any problems.

We spent a couple of hours with him and made plans to go hiking in a couple of weeks.

“After I came back home, one day I was standing on the porch talking to my neighbor when a state policeman came down the drive. He had a card in his hand and asked: ‘Is your name Don Polinsky?' I said, 'Yes, it is'. And he asked if he could speak to me in the house. The neighbor took off because he thought I was in trouble. We went into the house and he told me that my son had hung himself.

“It was unbelievable to me. Nancy was there with me when we were told the news. He offered to drive me to Johnstown, but I told him I would drive there myself.” Nancy was the one who drove that day.

thing that stuck out was something Jason said about how he didn't know whether he wanted to live with me again because of this Jesus thing... because I preached Jesus to him.

He said, ‘But I know my dad loves me and has my best interests at heart.’” Jason was that lost lamb, and Don kept hanging on to this particular scripture among others as well, but there still seemed to be a missing piece and a missing “peace”. Don shared: “I always asked the Lord to please let me know he's all right.”

Don continued: “I was devastated the whole year afterward. I was angry and confused.”

Nineteen-year-old Jason had taken his own life in the springtime on April 30th, 2002.

Eleven months later, Don and Nancy were married. Nancy had been Don’s rock through it all and although Don continued to struggle to find that missing “peace”, it was good for them to now be together as one.

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THE MISSING “PEACE” IS FOUND

It was what happened AFTER they were married that the missing “peace” finally came into place. Don explained: “I was in the backyard of our house with Nancy, and there’s a maple tree that had a couple different branches coming out of the trunk, and there was a limb there that had broken off and was hanging in a bough. When I saw it, I climbed up on a stump and reached for the loose limb.

And as I was reaching for it, I had Jason's ring on my finger and this blue jay appeared out of nowhere and came down and grabbed the ring with its beak, pulled at it and then flew off. But he didn’t only do it once. He flew into the tree for just a little bit, maybe a minute or so, and came back down and did it again, and then it was gone. I knew right then and there that Jason was alright.

“Nancy was there when it happened. She was standing outside and saw it happen and we both just stood there dumbfounded that a wild blue jay would come and do that. And I told her right then the story about Jason and the blue jay.

“When Jason was a little boy, about three years old, he had long blond hair and was out in the yard. We were both running, and I was fooling around like a kid when this blue jay started to dive bomb him. Instead of him being scared, he was running and laughing and just having a good time with his blue jay!

And now, a blue jay appeared to me grabbing his ring while I was in my backyard. Jason is alright and it was a real breakthrough for me.”

Nancy recalled the experience, “It was amazing.

I'm not accustomed to that kind of thing happening in my life. I can’t remember why we were in the backyard, but Don was standing next to this tree. Don talks to the rabbits and the birds all the time and he has a real soft voice. So, he started talking to the blue jay, and all of a sudden it was sitting on his hand and it touched his ring!

It wasn't exactly on his hand, but it came up to his finger.

When it flew away, it wasn't because it was afraid or startled. It wasn’t an aggressive kind of thing like when you see birds attacking something. It was like they were long-lost friends and he had come down to say hello and it was very comfortable being there. That's how it impressed me. Don talked to it and then it flew away. I've never had a wild animal ever approach me like that much less touch the ring on my hand.”

Don added: “It wasn't an old blue jay, it was a young blue jay. I think the

Photo by Amber Rae Photography

“Nancy was there when it happened. She was standing outside and saw it happen and we both just stood there dumbfounded that a wild blue jay would come and do that. And I told her right then the story about Jason and the blue jay.

Lord was showing me that He had always kept Jason in his care since he was young.” Nancy continued, “When it happened, I remember Don saying: ‘I know it was from Jason.’ I didn't doubt him. It was just an astonishing thing to witness a bird doing what it did, and then for Don to tell me with such assurance. For Don, it wasn't a maybe…he KNEW. “So, it was a peaceful thing because Don was very, very troubled by Jason's death for a long period of time, and there was a peace that wasn't there before, and it made it better. It was like the Hand of God reaching down and touching you, and now you’re relieved in whatever it is you're going through in your life.”

Although the date of this blue jay visitation was never documented, it was recognized that this blue jay visitation took place around the same time Jason went

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to Heaven, in the springtime, not long after Don and Nancy were wed. Don and Nancy were married the day after spring began on March 21st, 2003. Jason went to heaven on April 30th, 2002.

Spring is the season for “New Life”, and what an appropriate time for a grieving father to receive a message from Heaven that Jason is MORE than alright, he’s at home in Heaven having received the “peace” he so desperately needed and “New Life”. It was all that Don had asked and believed for, and now Don has his own missing piece, and it’s a “peace” that’s remained. Message received Jason!

It is Don and Nancy’s prayer that this article would bring comfort to parents and family members who have lost a child or loved one to suicide or sudden death. God is there for you and His love and mercy never ends. Call upon Him to help you through your devastating loss. Don and Nancy are forever grateful to God for His divine intervention of comfort that came through a simple blue jay.

Also, it’s their hope that this story will bring to light the long-term devastation that suicide brings upon loved ones, family members, and close friends. Seek counseling or talk to a pastor and don’t hold your emotions in or to yourself. Talk to someone God is a merciful God, He loves you and wants to heal your hurt.

Shalom Peace...

Nothing Missing...

Nothing Broken...

No Lack.

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