sad weekend

Last weekend wasn't a very happy one for us. We took a trip to St. George, not for fun, but for a funeral. My cousin Whitni passed away the Sunday before and had her viewing on Friday and the funeral on Saturday. So we dropped the older girls off at Grammy and Papas and headed down with Lia and the rest of my side of the family. It was really really sad. She was diagnosed with ovarian cancer nine months ago and they gave her six months to live with treatments. Even though we knew it was coming, I don't think you can ever be 100% prepared to lose someone. She had it really rough the last couple months, so it was somewhat bittersweet because we now know she's pain free and happy.

After her battle with cancer, Whitni Nisson Reese passed away on September 4, 2011. Whitni was born June 11, 1981, in St. George, Utah, to Bruce and Laurie Christensen Nisson. She was the only daughter among 5 brothers.

Whitni enjoyed her childhood growing up in Washington, Utah. She attended Washington Elementary, Pine View Middle School and graduated from Pine View High School. Whitni excelled academically and musically during those years. It was also during this time when she started to establish a group of friends who remain close even to this day. She also gained a strong testimony of the gospel of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

Whitni went on to graduate from Dixie State College and attend massage therapy school, becoming a nationally certified Massage Therapist. She then served in the Zurich, Switzerland Mission where she learned to speak the German language fluently. Upon her return, she delayed her schooling to assist her brother, Blake, in his rehabilitation after a serious accident. This experience helped to direct her interests toward physical therapy and she pursued this career at BYU. However, she became more interested in nutrition and as a result attended Utah State University to complete her B.S. Degree, graduating Summa Cum Laude, in Food and Nutrition, becoming a Certified Registered Dietitian

Shortly after graduation, Whitni married Jared R. Reese on May 16, 2009, in the St. George LDS Temple. Jared’s employment took them to Roswell, NM, where Whitni became employed at Eastern New Mexico Medical Center as a Registered Dietician. During this time Whitni enriched the lives of many by serving as a Ward Missionary and early morning Seminary Teacher for her church.

Whitni loved to learn, travel and serve in the Church. She had a great appreciation of the Gospel, life, family, friends, music, nutrition and science.

Whitni is survived by her spouse, Jared R. Reese of Roswell, NM; father, and mother, Bruce B. and Laurie Nisson; brothers, Neils Nisson (Holly), Nickolas Nisson, Kael Nisson, Blake Nisson (Missionary in Washington D.C. North) and Breyden “Gump” Nisson, all of Washington, UT.

Funeral services will be held on Saturday, September 10, 2011, at 11:00 a.m. at the Washington Stake Center, 446 Mangum Rd., Washington, UT. Whitni elected not to have a viewing, but an open house will be held on Friday, September 9, 2011, from 6:00-8:00 p.m. at the same location. Interment will take place in the Washington City Cemetery.

The family requests in lieu of flowers that monetary remembrances be made at any Mountain America Credit Union under Whitni Nisson Reese.

Whitni and family wish to thank Dr. Derrick Haslem and staff, Dr. Edgard Badine and staff, and Southern Utah Hospice for their special care and concern during her illness

(Terra, Whitney, Teneil, Mom, me, Tawnya)
I love being able to see all my sisters and people from my extended family, I just wish it wish it was under better circumstances. It was a hard funeral to go to. Everyone in her family spoke as well as her husband, her mother-in-law and father-in-law. It was sad because she was the only girl in her family and her husband is an only child. She pretty much planned her whole funeral, from the program to the casket. She had some of her friends make her casket. It was really pretty. Two funerals in one year is two too many. Let's hope it will be a few years before the next one, and I really hope I'm done going to funerals for anyone under the age of 80.

It also didn't help that this weekend was the 10 year anniversary of 9/11/01. I know everyone remembers where they were that day. I remember being at my friend Laura Baggaley's house waiting for our ride to school when she told me a plane had crashed into a twin tower. We thought it was just an accident 'til her little brother came running upstairs and said "another plane just hit the second tower!" and that's when I heard their mom say "this is no accident, this is war" My heart sank when I heard her say those words. I went downstairs to watch what I could on TV before we had to head to school. That's when our teacher Mr. Burton announced what was happening and our class headed to the library to watch. I feel bad now looking back because I know I was old enough to understand what was happening but I guess it just didn't seem real. We all went about our days like nothing happened. I went to my 7th period class and Mr. Browning gave our whole class a huge lecture. He couldn't believe we were acting the way we were. It made him sick to see us laughing in the halls and just happily continuing through our day like nothing happened. I felt really bad and look back now and still feel horrible. Watching all the specials that were on TV this weekend really brought me to tears, especially because I think I know now the seriousness of it all. All I know is how extremely grateful I am for our country and the men who fight every day for it. I know there's been a debate whether or not we should be happy about the death of Osama Bin Laden, but I'm actually grateful we won't ever have to worry about him attempting to destroy us again. God Bless America.
picture by Butterfly Love Photography