Recently, I attended the unexpected death of an elderly patient. As I entered the room, I noticed a nurse was attending the patient to straighten the sheets. I went to the window to speak with the wife of the patient. As she and I talked, I noticed that the nurse was quietly straightening the bad, arranging the deceased, and positioning him. There were two colorful handkerchiefs that the deceased was fond of, so the nurse carefully folded them and placed them in his hands and crossed them at his waist. He then shaved the deceased and checked with his widow to make sure that he combed his hair in the correct way. She watched all of this as we sipped coffee and chatted here and there about their lives together. They had been married for 66 years. They had a farm and a western store.
The nurse gave this woman precious moments watching her beloved husband attended to with compassion and tenderness. He showed her that even in his passing his dignity was paramount.
He exemplified the love of Christ. He showed me how to walk humbly with my God.
When I asked the staff who the nurse was, I learned that it was Zane Ellis. I believe that Zane is a walking example of compassion, dignity, excellence, and integrity for his patients, his fellow staff, and for those of us fortunate enough to run across his path.