This group has opened a whole can of worms for me. Her death has been a real learning and coping experience and I realized how superior she was to me. Her death was like her life (since moving to the NW), extraordinary. Here is the piece that appeared in a FFRF issue:
My "partner (we used the term to show support for her gay son and his partner)", Parvin, died (she hated the word "passed" ) suddenly and unexpectedly from an aggressive form of brain cancer. While she was not a member of FFRF, she was a member of the Humanists and gave some help to the Brights. She also attended the FFRF convention in Portland and made it possible for me to become an After-Life Member.
Parvin was born and raised in Iran in a moderately Islamic household and was the only girl with four brothers. Her mother gave special attention to her only daughter and supported her in every way, including her questioning of religion. From the beginning, Parvin could not understand the hold of religion and was a lifelong atheist. When she was diagnosed with cancer, she knew this was the end and embraced it totally, much to the chagrin of her siblings, although her three children supported her unquestioningly. She refused any treatments because she knew the quality of her life would be compromised. Lots of people said she must consider all life-preserving measures and one niece told her miracles do happen. One question we had is that if so many believe in an afterlife, why are they so determined to avoid it? We hear "don't play God" when one seeks to end their life, but one never hears this when one is going through extraordinary, unnatural means to extend it. Whenever Parvin heard "I believe," her response was, "You want to believe."
Parvin was upbeat and wanted her final days to be joyful. She sent out a message of "no tears, no prayers" (which caused some consternation). She chose to participate in Washington state's Death with Dignity program after which one of our neighbors — an FFRF member — told her, "You know you are going to hell." They both had a good laugh.
Unfortunately, just before the end of life medications could be delivered, she went into a coma and died some hours later. The pricey medications were donated back into the system to help someone who could not afford them. It was also asked that donations go to our local DVSAS (domestic violence program), of which Parvin was an active board member. Her will was changed to include DVSAS and the Humanists.
In life, Parvin was a dedicated teacher. Even her death has caused a whirlwind of conversations about death and religion (like offering prayers to an atheist) in Lopez Island, a one-of-a-kind close-knit community of 2,400 residents in Washington.
See also [patoslightkeepers.org]

Absolutely true. You have learn a whole new idea of "normal" pertaining everyday activities. Everything changes, every aspect but yet you go on as best you can day bt day abd life becomes the new normal

It's learning a new normal, satisfying in some ways and bittersweet in others.

Riding in the truck, Annette just stopped talking in mid sentence. Was gone before I got the truck stopped. That's how she wanted to go but way too early (66) Horrible shock for me tho.

This is so true. I found my husband on the bathroom floor. His death was so sudden. I’m not sure I will ever be over it. There was so much left unsaid.

Yes. Some people are so much to be without!