Rebecca Gail Mattson Kritscher 1971~1998

Rebecca and Thomas

The Miracle of Her Motherhood

Dec 7, 1971 ~ February 22, 1998

Rebecca, mostly known as Becky, was born just a few months before our daughter, Jen.  Becky was the only child of Jim's only sibling, Gary.  Becky was the first grandchild in our family on both sides so she was quite the celebrated young lady, granting all kinds of new titles to mother and father, grandparents, aunts and uncles alike. Of course when our Jennifer was born they were in each other's lives from the beginning and grew to best friends over time and many shared experiences.  It is always very sad when any member of a family passes from this life but the sting is particularly poignant when it is a young person.  Becky's father, Gary died tragically in an accident when she was only three.  The little picture you see of her and Jennifer below was taken in the same year she lost her Daddy. 

When Becky was a junior in high school she was diagnosed with Hotchkin's disease.  Cancer and being 16 create a pretty hard pill to swallow.  This devastating illness took its toll on every member of our family, but especially her mother Gail, and her husband, Michael and their son Thomas, only two when his Mommy died.  Of course this crushed her Grandmothers, Jen and our other kids, Chris and Laura and Jim and me too.

Rebecca was a very spiritually mature young woman, far beyond her years really and she endured and thrived on her faith alone at times.  She did have remissions which allowed her to have a fairly normal happy adulthood after she had a bone marrow transplant when she was about 19 years old.  During those years she finished college, married, and had her beautiful baby boy.   That little boy was her miracle.  The joys she had helped her through some very harsh treatments and some very difficult days.  The scripture below from the Book of Mormon gave our little nuclear family great comfort after her passing.

"Now concerning the state of the soul between death and the resurrection~

Behold, it has been made known unto me by an angel, that the spirits of all men, 

as soon as they are departed from this mortal body, yea, the spirits of all men, 

whether good or evil, are taken home to that God that gave them life.

And then shall it come to pass, that the spirits of those who are righteous are received into a state of happiness, which is called paradise, a state of rest from all their troubles and from all cares and sorrow." Alma 40:11-12

 

Jennifer & Rebecca ~Both age 3

Best Buddies

Mother and Daughter, Gail and Becky
 The Growing Up Years
Gail deserves a lot of credit for going it alone, 
struggling and raising such a beautiful girl.  

 Becky had lots of wonderful qualities.  Aside from her spirituality she was very bright, loved art and was a gifted photographer.  She was witty and fun to be with and she had an infectious smile and laugh.  No one on earth made better frosted sugar cookies at Christmas than Becky.  She was so resilient and such a great example of making the best out of her life.    She and Jennifer had a great time attending their last two years of high school together.  It was a blessing that they were together.   Once Gail took them to Hawaii when they were teens and this became an epic memory for all concerned.  She loved learning and Cal Poly is her alma mater.  She met her husband, Michael, there at college and they had a beautiful wedding and a good solid marriage and sweet little family. 

Their son, Thomas, was the apple of her eye and she struggled hard in her last year to raise him well.  Towards the end of her life when it became apparent that her days were short and the cancer had come back full force, we witnessed such a strong faith in her and love for her Savior and acceptance of God's will for her life.  

One cannot imagine what kind of faith and courage that would take at 26, as she faced leaving her sweet husband and tiny son for a long time.  She was not bitter and resentful, she had struggled through it and made peace with it before she left us.  She was valiant and true and a wonderful example to all who knew her.  If she could see her son now (and I believe that she can) she would be most pleased.  He has become a very enchanting young man.  His dad has done a phenomenal job a raising him up.  He is planning for college now and has a brilliant future ahead of him. In this I know she rests in peace.

 Becky's Memory Lives on in Jen's Daughter

Miss Rebecca Piper

She even looks like her!

When Jennifer and Lowell had their first daughter, she was named her after her mom's beloved cousin and best friend. Although she is called Piper, she will point out quite often that her real name is Rebecca!  She is a lot like her namesake actually.  Beautiful and poised, mature beyond her years and very artistic.  They both were blessed with a creative style of their own.  Piper at 13 is sweet and well-loved just like her first cousin, once removed.  Miss Rebecca Gail and Miss Rebecca Piper have much in common and she has brought honor to her name.

We will always love and honor your memory, Becky!

You are missed and remembered with ardent affection 

by all of your family.

Rebecca Gail Mattson was born

December 7, 1971

in Walnut Creek, California 

She died on

February 22, 1998

in Concord, California

where she lived most of her life.

 She is buried in

Oakmont  Memorial Park

in

Lafayette, California

Jennifer's Girls and Rebecca's Thomas
Piper (on the right) is named after Rebecca.
They are all growing up too fast!
Easter 2013