Here she comes!

St. Joseph's Hospice gives friends and families of their patients this little blue book that tell us what to expect during the end of our loved one's illness, and the title is "Gone from My Sight," which is also a poem by Henry van Dyke. In thinking about Erin these last two weeks, I've really been drawn to Dyke's description, which is why this post is titled this way.

I am standing upon the seashore. A ship at my side spreads her white sails to the morning breeze and starts for the blue ocean. She is an object of beauty and strength. I stand and watch her until at length she hangs like a speck of white cloud just where the sea and sky come to mingle with each other.

Then someone at my side says: “There, she is gone!”

“Gone where?”

Gone from my sight. That is all. She is just as large in mast and hull and spar as she was when she left my side and she is just as able to bear the load of living freight to her destined port.

Her diminished size is in me, not in her. And just at the moment when someone at my side says: “There, she is gone!” There are other eyes watching her coming, and other voices ready to take up the glad shout: “Here she comes!”

And that is dying.

ERIN MICHELLE JOHNSON ALLBRITTON

“The Lord has been my strength; he has led me into freedom. He saved me because he loves me.” Psalms 18:19-20

“Be all of one mind, compassionate, loving toward one another, merciful, and humble.” 1 Peter 3:8

Erin Michelle Johnson Allbritton was born August 4, 1979 and lost her battle with cancer on Saturday, April 24, 2010 at 5:15 PM at the Carpenter House. She was 30 years old. She is survived by her parents, Ronnie and Pam Johnson; her precious sons, Jake Christian Allbritton, age 8, and Landen Daniel Allbritton, age 7; her sister and brother-in-law Chelsea and Michael Barrett; her two nieces, Cailyn Josephine and Casie Jo Runnels; her best friend, Carly Weeks; the father of her boys, Corey Daniel Allbritton, and his wife, Nell; her grandfather, Robert E. Powers; her uncles and aunts Glynn and Linda Johnson, Jonathan and Kim Bishop, Will and Becky Walker, Carolyn and Vernon Yielding, Denise and Robert Murphy, Sonia and Hank Wheat and many cousins, family members and dear friends. She was preceded in death by her grandparents, Jake Wilson Johnson, Bobbie Inez Crowe Johnson, Rita Josephine Ashley Powers, William Garland Walker and Ione Mae Walker; her uncle, Jerry Johnson; her cousin, Mark Johnson; and her great-grandparents.

Erin had a gentle spirit, but a determined fight for life. Before her illness, Erin always had a spirit of caring and was mission-oriented. She was enrolled at Our Lady of the Lake College and her dream was to be a nurse. She shared her caring spirit with the cadets and staff of the Louisiana National Guard Youth Challenge Program. Erin’s hobbies were photography and scrapbooking, and her handsome sons were always the inspiration for her hobbies. She also loved going to the movies and spending time with her friends. Everyone who came into contact with Erin was blessed by the true and wonderful person she was and how she lived her life. She loved God, life, her family and friends, all of which were her motivation. Her greatest pride and joy were her sons, Jake and Landen. Erin’s spirit will live on in her sons and in the hearts of family and friends. Upon her decision to join the Catholic Church and live her life of faith in the Church, she chose Veronica as her patron saint. Tradition tells us that a woman named Veronica stepped forward, despite the Roman guard, to wipe Christ’s face with a towel. Legend has it that an image of Jesus’ countenance was impressed on the cloth. Veronica’s compassion is remembered through the years. Our hope and prayer are that Erin’s love and compassion for others will be remembered in the hearts of everyone.

The love, concern and prayers of so many, especially the staff and families of St. Theresa of Avila and St. John Primary schools, were a blessing to Erin and her family. Erin requested that her mother thank, and Erin’s family joins in thanking, her very special doctors, Dr. Cynthia Boyer, Dr. Jay Brooks, Dr. Sterling Sightler, Dr. George Jiha and their wonderful nurses and staff, and the nurses and staff at Baton Rouge General, Woman’s Hospital and St. Joseph Hospice/Carpenter House for their love and compassion during her battle with cancer. Erin’s family also sincerely thanks their special friends and family who helped make a beach trip and a Disney trip possible last year, so that Erin could spend some very special time with her sons and family.

Visitation will be at Ourso Funeral Home, 13533 Airline Highway in Gonzales on Tuesday, April 27, 2010 from 5:00 PM to 9:00 PM. Funeral services will be held at St. Theresa of Avila Catholic Church, 1022 North Burnside Avenue in Gonzales, on Wednesday, April 28, 2010 at 11:00 AM, with visitation at the church from 9:00 AM until services begin. Interment will follow at St. Theresa of Avila Cemetery. Pallbearers will be Jackie Manton, Jared Weeks, Trey Bishop, Taylor Bishop, Cody Overstreet, Thomas Plunkett and Nicholas Murphy.

In lieu of flowers, the family asks that donations be made to the Erin Allbritton Fund at Whitney National Bank for funeral expenses and for her sons.

Thank you Erin, for trusting me with your precious cargo. It will never be forgotten that you would've done it better. And thank you for being my friend.
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