By now you all have possibly heard of the passing of my (our) precious friend Susan Castaneda. She left us last Sunday November 3 @ 11:30 AM. She was surrounded by family and friends and passed quietly in her bed at her home. Susan showed and lived her love through her actions, words and deeds. You always knew she was there for you, no matter what the situation, she listened with her calm sweet way. I will miss our phone conversations, her just popping in to a FIM tea, a dinner just the two of us, her enormous faith that FIM would be always there for others like herself...and she worked to make it so. Over the past 6 years, Susan took it on herself, sick as she was, and had two fund raisers for Face in the Mirror. She wrote letters to many, always trying to support through written word her love and affection for FIM. She left this world with an array of hundreds of photos of women who we have helped while going through cancer, and was doing a DVD with I am Beautiful, Because He Loves Me as the backup music. She was going to use this to raise funds. Twice, Susan spoke at one of our annual Fundraisers, no one could do it like she did. Just in January of this year, Face in the Mirror was going to be written up in the Saturday Evening Post, I asked her to let the Journalist interview her for her story, no surprise Susans story was as good as any and on top of ours, he wrote one about her and published it in January of this year. Her love of life and her strength to survive what ever came her way, was evident to all who knew her. She was a trooper on her journey with stage 4 Colon cancer, and she lived believing in healing and miracles. To know her, was to get on board with her positive and never look back spirit and know no matter what I CAN. My last time to see and visit Susan was just three weeks ago. She was back in Banner Good Samaritan and I entered her room, she greeted me with a sweet hello and smile, I had never seen her so thin, her body was weak, sitting on the side of the bed. She unwrapped the pretty pink robe I brought her immediately stood up to wrap her cold self ,hugging it to her like a little girl. We chatted and shared for about an hour. It was apparent, that the Susan I had come to know was coming to terms with her sickness and said to me, what ever happens now, I am ok with it I started to leave, her room was filling with family and friends and she said, I want to walk you down the hall I couldnt believe she had the strength, but knowing Susan, she made the strength. While pulling her medications along with her, ...we walked slowly, and going as far as we could, we hugged, told her I loved her ...she said I love you too...and I left her standing watching, as I turned the corner. I wondered, would we ever see each other again? She was one of earths angels, I know God had plans beyond our understanding. She was a priceless treasure as a friend, an example of strength and courage unlike I have ever seen, she lived each day without complaint, and knowing she have done all she could ...stood in faith. She was incredible. I loved her. Funeral services. Friday - November 15 from 12 noon until 3:00 pm Rest Haven Cemetery Address 4310 East Southern Ave. Phoenix Hugs and hope you can honor Susan with your presence. Barbara
Posted on: Fri, 08 Nov 2013 13:48:21 +0000
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