When our landscaping project called for removing trees in our front yard, we planted a rose garden with one yellow rose bush among the red, white and pink roses. The yellow rose didn't thrive like the others. It shamelessly took its sweet time and stubbornly didn't produce roses. We watched and waited for it to bloom for many years, but it didn't.
A few years later we were struggling with the battle Tom's friend Bill Andrews was losing to cancer. While his health declined, we visited, we baked and delivered food, we shared books, cards, and conversations, but he was dying, and our sadness was overwhelming. On Sunday morning June 7th, 2015, Bill's wife called us with the grim news that if we wanted to see Bill one more time, we'd need to be there that day. We set our sights on getting out of the house quickly and driving the hour to Bill's home, where hospice was keeping him comfortable. We wanted to bring something to Bill and Stacy, something meaningful and lovely, something precious and comforting, but we didn't know what. While Tom finished getting ready, I walked to the rose garden and was greeted by one spectacular yellow rose. At that moment, I knew it was meant for Bill and Stacy. I clipped the rose, put it in a small vase and brought it to them as a gift of life in the midst of the sorrow. Now the yellow rose continues to bloom almost always near the time of Bill's death on June 8th.
Willaim F Andrews was a true American hero and a man of great faith. His Air Force experiences are well documented, and he has been rightly honored in many ways. He was a great friend to Tom and incredible human being. I hope he's always remembered. We'll always remember Bill and enjoy our Bill Andrews Rose.
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