{"chapter_no":"4","chapter_title":"Sunrise","book_id":"3","book_name":"Springville","subchapter_no":"0","page_no":"410","page_number":"1","verses_count":0,"total_pages":2,"page_content":"

 <\/p>

Chapter 4<\/p>

Sunrise<\/h1><\/p>

 <\/p>

Kathleen’s father, Reed, passes away at age seventy-eight—She recalls the great moments of his
life.<\/i><\/p>

 <\/p>

 <\/p>

 <\/p>

One morning in the early hours, Kathleen Chandler arose, dressed quietly, and made her
way outside to the backyard. A lone lawn chair had been left out the night before, facing away
from the house. Thinking to gather it in with the others, she walked over and raised it off the
ground to take with her. After a few steps, however, she stopped and put it back, deciding to sit
down upon it instead. <\/p>

 <\/p>

A slight chill was in the air. Feeling the breeze, she buttoned up her sweater snugly. For
the next hour, she watched as the sun rose over the mountains.<\/p>

 <\/p>

It had been a terrible week, perhaps the most traumatic of her life. Her father, Reed
Atkins, a man of seventy-eight years, had become suddenly faint and collapsed in the kitchen of
his Sandy home. His wife, Jerilyn, the sweetheart of his life, reacted immediately, calling for an
ambulance. The paramedics came, lifted him onto a stretcher, and then hurried off to the
hospital. Reed lost consciousness en route. In the emergency room, doctors worked quickly to
revive him, but there was little they could do. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Receiving word, Kathleen immediately drove over to the hospital in Sandy from her
Springville home. She sat with her mother in the hospital room as Reed lay motionless hour after
hour. All they could do was watch the scene unfold before them and cry together. The
emergency had caught everyone off guard; there was no warning, and no chance to say goodbye
or share a final embrace. Later that day, Reed passed away––a solemn moment in the history of
the family.<\/p>

 <\/p>

The shock and grief of the event created an immediate sadness in the family. Kathleen
and her two younger sisters decided to stay on a few extra days with Jerilyn, occupying her
thoughts with conversation, playing games, and assisting with small chores around the house. By
week’s end, however, she was feeling better and needed the opportunity to develop new daily
routines in her life, something best done alone. <\/p>

 <\/p>

The three women returned home to their families. Kathleen was the last to leave,
returning early on a Friday evening. As she passed through the doorway at home, she looked <\/p>

exhausted. The stress of the last few days was obvious; she needed rest. It was only seven-thirty,
but she went straight to bed. Within minutes, she was fast asleep. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Awaking early the next morning, she dressed herself and went outside. The good night's
sleep had revived her, giving her new energy and a feeling of peace. Everything was going to be
okay. <\/p>

 <\/p>

The sunrise is beautiful!<\/i> exclaimed Kathleen inwardly.<\/p>

 <\/p>

Running her hands along the armrests of the lawn chair, she felt gratitude to the Lord for
having helped her make it through the prior few days. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Fond memories of her dad passed through her mind, causing her facial muscles to
loosen—her first easy smile in days. Her father had been a righteous man; there was great peace
in that. He had always taught her correct principles as she was growing up. He had been a good
husband, a good father, and a dedicated priesthood leader. She remembered all of the good times
they had had together––the family dinners, the holiday gatherings, the vacations, the camping
trips and the ward outings, the marriage ceremonies at the temple, the baby blessings, the
baptisms, and the many missionary farewells and homecomings. And yes, in the course of life
there had also been some arguments. She longed to have one of those arguments with him right
now. <\/p>

 <\/p>

She recalled the old house in Sandy. Growing up there as a young girl, she had often
helped her mother in the kitchen before going to school... memories still vivid after all these
years. Her father's passing was a reminder of her own mortality. Here she was now at age fifty-
four! It was hard to believe. Her life was passing away quickly, almost like a dream in the night. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Standing up, she lifted the lawn chair into her arms and placed it alongside the others on
the patio. Entering the house, she prepared herself for the funeral. <\/p>

 <\/p>

Later that morning, she drove with Mark to the old Sandy church building. Meeting her
younger sisters there, they completed all the necessary preparations for the viewing. The funeral
services began sharply at noon.<\/p>

 <\/p>

From her seat in the front row, Kathleen watched and listened to everything closely. She
felt the urge to cry... wanting to embrace her father and hear his voice one last time.<\/p>"}