My Brother

In Loving Memory of
Brett A. Rothwell
Died April 16, 2000
Don't grieve for me now I'm free
I'm following the path God laid for me.
I took His hand when I heard His call,
I turned my back and left it all.
Tasks left undone must stay that way,
I've found that peace at the close
of the day.
If my parting has left a void,
then fill it with rememberd joy.

Be not burdened with times of sorrow,
I wish you the sunshine of tomorrow.
Perhaps my time seemed all to brief,
don't lengthen it now with undue grief.
Lift up your heart and share with me,
God wanted me now;
HE SET ME FREE

A very dear friend, Pat, sent this to me when Brett
passed away. I had it read at his funeral.
It brought comfort to us all. Thank you Pat.

When somebody dies, a cloud turns into an angel,
flies up to tell God to put another
flower on a pillow.
A bird gives the message back to the world,
and sings a silent prayer that makes the rain cry.
People disappear, but they never really go away.
The spirits up there put the sun to bed,
wake up grass, and spin the earth in dizzy circles.
Sometimes you can see them dancing in a cloud
during the day-time, when they're supposed to be sleeping.
They paint the rainbows and also the sunsets
and make waves splash and tug at the tide.
they toss shooting stars and listen to wishes.
and when they sing wind-songs, they whisper to us,
don't miss me too much.
The view is nice and I'm doing just fine.

My Brother

Brett was born in St. Francis Hospital, weighing over 12lbs.
He was welcomed into our home by two brothers and two sisters.
He was so loved, and of course spoiled by all. He was only
a few months old when we moved back
to Pa., and then almost immediately to Ohio. What a well traveled
little fellow.

When he was two years old the family moved again,
this time to Philadelphia, Pa., and after just a year there
another move to Hazleton, Pa.. He grew up in a ministers
family and attended school in Hazleton, and when in seventh
grade moved with the family to Drums.
The Reverend and his wife bought a small health care facility
and lived with the family above it. He was enjoyed by all the
residents and spent many hours visiting them.

Brett attended MMI, a private school, from which he graduated in 1976.
He was well liked and respected by all who knew him.
Brett attended and graduated from Bloomsburg University in 1980
with a BA in Business Administration.
He studied for his nursing home administrators
license and passed the state board exam in 1982.
He then worked in the family business as chief financial officer
until the business was sold in 1984.

He continued on working with his father in other ventures,
a small restaruant called Charlee Chan(gosh I loved those chicken on a stick).
He then moved on to being appointed
Administrator of a county Nursing facility in Clarian, county, Pa..
My goodness, talk about well rounded!!!
In 1988 he accepted an appointment in Stanley Town, VA. to open
and serve as an admisnistrator of a new facility.
He went on to other facilities in the organization and was respected by all.

Brett sufferd with Rheumatoid Arthritis from age 28,
and had a major heart attack at age 37.
He never complained and many times assured his family that he
was ready to go home to be with the Lord, if it was to be.
He was very active in his singles sunday school class,
serving in several offices over the years.

Brett had a massive heart attack April 16th, 2000.
People attended his services from all the areas where he had lived and worked.
He was loved and respected by everyone he ever came in contact with,
be it his co-workers, company officials, employees,
and of course family and friends.
He will always be remembered for his ability to work and play
with integrity and compassion.

We can't know why some things happen
but we can know that love and beautiful
memories outlast the pain of grief

And we can know that there is a place
inside the heart where love lives always
and where nothing beautiful can ever
be forgotten...

If I have learned anything down the years,
it's that nothing beautiful in this world
is really lost,
those we cherish will always live on in memory.

A very incrdible lady, who made this memorial for me

Always take time to smell the rose.
Life is very short.
Do the things that make you happy
before it is too late.
For a short time the rose is beautiful.
How quickly the petals fall.
Life is like that.