Mom's cousin  Mary Ellen, called today to tell me that her husband of 66 years, died today at noon. He was in the hospital with pneumonia (second time in a month) and when I talked to her Friday she was pretty optimistic about how he was doing. But yesterday his condition worsened. She said he was alert almost until he died and was even making her a list this morning of where important financial things were. He told Mary Ellen that he loved her and then basically went to sleep. She said it was a very peaceful death and for that I am grateful. Her niece and husband from Kansas are with her and I will probably go up and stay with her when they have to go home. He's going to be cremated and there will only be a graveside service in Forrest City, Arkansas  where they are from. I hate to think what will happen to her because they have no children and have been together since high school with barely a day apart.  Hopefully she'll go live in Kansas with her niece, but I'm sure nothing's been discussed yet. So, so sad and my heart breaks for her. They're both 89. Mom and Dad were also married 66 years when Dad died and both almost 89. Rest in peace, Jim Halbert.