Our mom went to Heaven the other day. Her passing on Jan. 15, 2012, was unexpected, yet peaceful and quiet. We will miss our mom. Mom was born Mary Ellen Kruger on Dec. 22, 1932, in Kings, Ill., to Walter A. and Bertha E. Kruger. She has three brothers, Skip, Stan and Vern. Stan is still with us and will miss his sister.

The Kruger's ended up in Monroe Center, Ill., where Mom attended school and graduated high school. West Suburban College of Nursing of Oak Park, Ill., was the next graduation followed by a Bachelor of Science degree in 1955 from Wheaton College, Wheaton, Ill. Mom then became a registered nurse. Her patients will miss her.

In the midst of all this education, she met a young man and soon to be preacher, Jack Emerson Dowers. They married in Chicago, Ill., on Sept. 14, 1956. Dad passed last year and Mom missed him greatly. They will never miss each other again.

After the wedding, the adventure began. The couple moved to Washington state where they served God and the people of several churches and started a family. Gene came first, followed by Nathan and then finally their daughter, Cheryl. We are all still here and we will miss our mom.

The next evolution was that of the U.S. Navy. Dad became a Chaplain, Mom continued nursing wherever we went until we landed in California. Mom became a nursing instructor and she herself went back to school, earning her Master of Science degree in nursing from Fresno State, Fresno, Calif. Mom finished her teaching career at North Idaho College, Coeur d'Alene. Her students will miss her.

Mom moved to Kingston, Wash., just before Thanksgiving last year and began to settle in. God's plan had a better place in store for Mom and she's settled there with Him now.

Mom taught us a lot about life. She loved the miracle of the mind; she embraced organization, ruled at board games, enjoyed travel and loved her family.

She will be missed but not forever, because as a Christian family we know we will be reunited with her someday. In the words of our dad "Oh, the wondrous joy of it all!" Memorial: www.yatesfuneralhomes.com.