Remembering Shelley Dahl
Seattle Presbytery
Shelley's Dahl's Memorial and Celebration:
Wednesday, September 27, 10:00am
Mercer Island PC, 3605 84th Ave SE, Mercer Island, WA.
Lunch reception immediately following at Women's University Club, 1105 6th Ave, Seattle, WA.
August 3, 2017 Update from Shelley's sons:
Dear friends and loved ones,
At 5:50am this morning, our beloved mom finished her journey on this earth. Her decline was rapid and her death came as a surprise so soon. We hoped to have more good days with her and time for friends and family to visit and say good bye.
Hunter and I have agreed to open mom's home for visitors today (August 3) from 8am until 8:30pm (when the funeral home will come to pick up her body this evening). We welcome any and all visitors today to bring a cutting or two from your garden to place next to her body. Mom loved gardens and cut flowers so much; so it seems appropriate to surround her with beauty and love as her body is prepared for its final journey.
I'm at a loss for words right now. All morning long I've had the lines of David Whyte's poem "FINISTERRE". May it bring you peace, as it does to me, and may you all know how much you are loved and appreciated by me and our family.
FINISTERRE
The road in the end taking the path the sun had taken,
into the western sea, and the moon rising behind you
as you stood where ground turned to ocean: no way
to your future now but the way your shadow could take,
walking before you across water, going where shadows go,
no way to make sense of a world that wouldn't let you pass
except to call an end to the way you had come,
to take out each frayed letter you had brought
and light their illumined corners; and to read
them as they drifted on the late western light;
to empty your bags; to sort this and to leave that;
to promise what you needed to promise all along,
and to abandon the shoes that brought you here
right at the water's edge, not because you had given up
but because now, you would find a different way to tread,
and because, through it all, part of you would still walk on,
no matter how, over the waves.
- David Whyte
©2012
I will do my best to write again when we have more information about mom's memorial.
With broken hearts overflowing with love, sadness, and gratitude,
Adam & Hunter
The Presbytery of Seattle grieves with Shelley's family at the loss of our dear friend, colleague and presbyter. "For if we live, we live to the Lord, and if we die, we die to the Lord. So then, whether we live or whether we die, we are the Lord’s." (Romans 14:8)
Dear Seattle Presbytery Friends,
Please keep Shelley Dahl and her family in your prayers as Shelley moves into Hospice Care this week. As you know, Shelley's cancer diagnosis was met with the grace and fortitude we have seen her possess throughout her life and ministry. She continues to be her authentic, beautiful self and has decided to spend this time with family and close friends under the care of professionals who will keep her comfortable.
Our prayer is that Shelley will have as many "good days" as possible and that she feels the full measure of God's love and presence with her. We pray for her family - that they are all able to spend time together surrounded by God's love and comfort.
While in the hospital last week for a procedure to assist with pain, Shelley received over 700 text messages from friends! She is overwhelmed with gratitude for all of your love and support, but unfortunately she is no longer able to reply.
If you are a close friend and would like to visit, please contact her son, Adam, at dahladam@hotmail.com. He will let you know when/if she is up for visits.
All are invited to send notes of encouragement and love to:
Shelley Dahl
c/o Seattle Presbytery
1013 8th Avenue
Seattle, WA 98104
We are both so grateful for the Seattle Presbytery community and the tremendous amount of support and encouragement we share in Jesus Christ. Thank you for your prayers - and thank you for the ways you are loving God's people in the midst of loss and grief.
Blessings,
Eliana Maxim and Becki Barrett