It's hard to start off a new subject, when this website was set up to help Dave and the girls against his fight. I know many of you are wondering how the girls are doing so I thought I would get on to let you know what's been going on in their lives.

Jessica just had a birthday this past Monday, she is now 6 years old, really hard to believe how time goes by so fast. She is estactic about being "older", well she tells us all that she is now "3 plus 3 years old" and not "3 plus 2 years old" anymore. She sure does know how to make us all laugh. Samantha and Alyson has also pretty much gone back to their "normal" routine, although there are the down days we all try to stay busy and I remind them that they need to continue to do what they use to because that is what Daddy wanted, time will eventually heal and make them smile more than they have this past month and year for that matter and the happy thoughts about dad will come about more often.

Another thing that has helped them lately is our newest and latest addition to the family, their names are "Chin Chin" and "Angel", they are KITTENS! I know most of you who knows we already have TWO cats are thinking we probably really didn't need these 2 more. BUT there's a story behind these kittens.

A few weeks before Dave had passed on and while he was staying with Barb, a very pregnant mama cat came to her door and Dave was thrilled to know there were going to be some new kitties soon. Actually I think it was like only a week after Barb had let the mamma cat in she had her kittens. Apparently the night of the birth was like Dave witnessing a grandchild being born. Barb said he was smiles ear to ear and was very anxious like an awaiting grandfather. After the kittens were born, the girls and I visited and Dave had picked out a kitten and named him "Chin Chin", it was very appropriate because the kitten is black and white and on his chin is a small black mark, ergo the given name. So this kitten became very sentimental to the girls, needless to say we knew we were going to have 3 cats in the house very soon.....well, how the 2nd kitten came about was I couldn't resist the cute kitten or the girls going PLEASSSSSSSSSSSSSEEEEEEE. I am a sucker for animals and knew that it would be good for Chin Chin to have a playmate. Thanks Barb! It truly has been therapeutic for the girls, it's nice to see them laugh and smile again, the kittens are so much fun and very adorable....oh yeah, by the way, I hear there are still 3 more from the litter left :-) and they are also very cute. Let me know if anyone of you would like to adopt any one of them SOON! and also the mamma cat is very loving and still fairly young herself, Barb has taken her to the vet and presumes she is only about a year and a half old, Barb would also like to find her a nice home.

Thanks to all who have supported the girls through this trying time, it has really helped to know you all are out there helping them move on and continue being the fun loving girls they all are.

God Bless,
Kim and girls

p.s. I'll try to post some picture of the new kitties soon!

I must share something wonderful that Jessica had just shared with me. I am in tears as I write this and yet such wonderful tingles running through. She came up to me and said, "Mommy, I had a dream today that daddy was an angel and he talked to me but I don't remember what he said, I was crying but I really wasn't because it was a dream, but he was smiling and he was an angel with wings."

I had to share that because it was so AWESOME to know that daddy is already watching over the girls!

GOD Bless us all, Dave is amongst the angels and is at peace :-)

In Memory of David Paul Kokjohn, Services will be as following:

Visitation: Monday, October 6th 2003, from 4-8 pm and Wake Service will be at 8pm at Bentley Funeral Home, 302 W. 5th St., Wilton, Iowa. Family Visitation will begin at 3pm.

Funeral Mass: Tuesday, October 7th, 2003 at 10:30am at St. Mary's Catholic Church, 308 Spruce St., Wilton, Iowa. Additional visitation will be 1 hour prior to service at the church. There will be a luncheon immediately following the mass for those who wish to celebrate Dave's life with family and friends.

Burial Service: Tuesday, October 7th, 2003 at 3pm at Oakland Cemetary in Fort Madison, Iowa.

There will be 2 memorials in David's honor, one will be for the building project for a Hope Lodge of Iowa City, Iowa sponsored by the American Cancer Society and the 2nd will be a building project for a new St. Mary's Catholic church. These were David's wishes in lieu of flowers.

It is with deep sadness that I must announce that David has lost his fight with cancer, and that he passed away on October 3, 2003 at 6:05 PM at the University of Iowa Hospital in Iowa City. Throughout his ordeal the love and support shown him by his family, friends and all those whose lives he touched served to bolster him and give him the strength that he needed to battle his horrible disease and, true to form, even in his last hours he was more concerned with the well being of those for whom he cared than for himself.

“I have been so Blessed.” – David Kokjohn

These simple words express how David felt in so many ways: He felt blessed to have his family and friends around him and especially to have his daughters Alyson, Samantha and Jessica, who were the true loves of his life.

David was a kind and gentle soul, and even when life was its bleakest he kept his chin up and was there to support his daughters and all those whom he loved and who loved him so much.

On behalf of Aly, Sammy and Jessie, I would once again like to thank everyone for all the love and support that you showed us during this most difficult time. David is with the Lord now, but he will live on forever in the hearts of everyone whom he touched with his kindness, goodness and his generosity of spirit.

God Bless you all and thank you for the prayers and support you have shown to David, myself, and our three wonderful daughters throughout what has been this most difficult of times.

Kim Kokjohn.

In lieu of flowers, there will be a memorial for the Building project for a Hope Lodge of Iowa City, Iowa sponsored by the American Cancer Society.

I will also post when Dave's services will be for those who can attend.