By Milan, October 6, 2001
Dear Family and Friends,
Please be informed that I have crossed over to the other side or, as some say, “gone paws up” or “assumed room temperature”.
It was a Hellaciously painful six-month ordeal for me, made tolerable by your kind words and warm wishes.
Not knowing, of course, what’s on the other side, I promise you that if there is anything ever in eternity that I can do for you from there, I’ll get it done. But if the Tibetan Buddhists have it right, I’ll be back around after forty-nine days for another go at learning the lessons I flunked this time. Look for the little boy in the Cowboy and Indian pajamas with the pith helmet and safari jacket, and know that Expedition Melvin rides again!
In closing, let me ask that you think of me as having a First Class seat on the non-stop Bullet Train to the greatest Mystery and the grandest Adventure of all.
YEE-HA!
YEE-HA!
And love,
Milan
Final Passages would like to thank our dear friend and angel, Janelle Va Melvin, for her years as co-director with Final Passages. Janelle added her hospice skills and experience to Final Passages in 1996 and co-authored the Handbook for Creating Home Funerals. She assisted developing and teaching our Midwiving Life’s Final Passage workshops and has added strength and fiber to the foundation of our model program.
Janelle has left Final Passages and taken a new life direction due to a number of family challenges over the past couple of years including the death of her brother Milan Morrell Melvin, who made his transition on October 6, 2001. In her devotion to carrying out her brother’s final wishes, Janelle directed the services and shares photos with us of how Milan was honored with a home funeral and traditional Mexican burial.