Dan Varner has passed

[Jane P Davidson <jdhexen@unr.edu>]

Dear friends and colleagues,  I have just received this from Marcia Bell,  
Dan's wife.     Jane Davidson
________________________________________
From: Danvarner@aol.com [Danvarner@aol.com]
Sent: Monday, January 02, 2012 8:50 AM
To: Jane P Davidson
Subject: Dan passed away last night

I'm numb.  I'm walking into the walls and sobbing.

He'd been failing for the past few days.  Uncomfortable despite the meds.  
Refusing food but always asking for water.  I'll spare you the grisly medical 
details.  Under the circumstances, it was pretty peaceful.

Did you know that when someone dies at home without a medical professional 
present, the entire town police force and EMS squad parade in and out of your 
house for hours?  It was surreal.  The police stayed until the hospice nurse 
showed up.  She stayed to release the body to the funeral home.

A friend and my sister came over and sat through it with me.  Or I'd have gone 
nuts.

He wanted cremation so I have to go to the funeral home in an hour and make the 
arrangements.  His exact words were, "No taxidermy."

His coat and shoes are where he left them.  He's everywhere I look.  Goddess 
get me through the next few days and all the days after that.

He was so special.  And we loved each other so much.  I'm glad we at least got 
a chance to say it.

Marcia