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It is with great sadness that I relay the message that JoLene has passed away after an 8 year battle with breast cancer. She had been in remission, but earlier this year found a reoccurrence and started chemo again a few month ago.

JoLene was a long time member of PBT, always brightening our conversations with her insight, cheer, and positive personality. She joined us as an admin late last year, and it was a pleasure to work with her behind the scenes. She truly loved PBT, reading, and the discussions she had here.

The admins are currently deciding how best to honor JoLene and her many PBT friendships. She will be greatly missed.

Nicole, I am so sad to hear this news. JoLene was such a lovely person and her presence will be sorely missed.

Her brother, Michael, posted in the Historical Fictionistas group, which is where I first heard of her passing earlier today.

Such sad news. She was always cheerful and engaged. She will be greatly missed.

Such sad news, Nicole - a dearly loved member of our group and a brave lady gone too soon. All thoughts with her family, and hugs for her fellow admins who knew her the best of all of us xx

I am truly heartbroken that a person with such a wonderful, upbeat nature is forever gone from our group . . .I knew she was ill, but I really thought she'd be okay. *sob*

We thought of asking her to be an administrator because she was always helping people here even when it wasn't her official capacity.

She will be sorely missed.

Anita wrote: "I knew she was ill, but I really thought she'd be okay. *sob* "

I feel the same way, Anita. She updated the admins a couple of times regarding her health and progress and, while she openly admitted that it wasn't smooth sailing, she had such a positive attitude that I took it for granted that she would be okay.

I had a bad feeling when she hadn't responded to a couple of our emails wishing her well and inquiring about an update.

Shocked and heartbroken. I didn’t know the cancer had come back, only that she had survived the first battle valiantly. She was a reading twin of mine in my top echelon. I feel so sad. I know what my personal tribute is to her. She’s the one that got me started on a seven book series. I’ve read the first four, and have been reading them as they are being written and newly published. She and I talked about that series a lot. Not sure she ever got even to book 3. I’m going to miss her. My heart feels sad. That’s really profound and powerful news. Hard to process. My heart is heavy.

oh gosh you guys, that's just so sad. What a loss for our community.

This is sad news. Jolene will be missed.

I gasped when I saw this...I had no idea she as so ill. Jolene was the first friend I had here,,,I am so so sad. Just this week end I thought of asking Admin where she has been-May the angels hold her close, she will be missed.

So very sad! I will miss seeing her here.

Oh no, so sad. I didn't realize the how bad things were. Jolene, you will be missed here. We will miss you, your discussion, and your positivity.
Thoughts and well wishes to all her family and friends.

I'm devastated. Joleen has been so helpful and enthusiastic. I've enjoyed her participation here. Sadly, I'd thought she had a secure place on my list of friends who had survived breast cancer.

This is sad news. JoLene’s brightness and kindness will be missed.

What sad news. I always found her to be such a lovely woman. She will be sorely missed.

This is such sad news. Her family is in my heart and prayers.

Oh no! such sad news. She was so lovely. Whenever reading her thoughts I could imagine the warm smile from her photo.
My heart-felt condolences to JoLene's family and friends and in this beautiful community

Thanks so much for the kind words for my sister. To fill in a few comments that have been made.

The cancer was in remission until early this year. The doctors had found "some activity" and started a pre-emptive set of treatment. About 4 weeks ago, she began getting very weak. It was found that the cancer had come back and aggressively taken over her body. It had spread to many other systems. Another round of chemo was started and was looking to be working, but the second round appeared to be ineffective as she kept getting weaker and weaker. My brother-in-law brought her home on 17 Sept with hospice care. I got to California (from Alabama) on that day, and she kept slipping down until Friday morning when her body finally gave up.

She was a fighter and my hero. Our father died of cancer 17 yrs ago and my mother is a survivor as well. This disease has ravaged my family since 1998 and it is really pissing me off!! (Sorry for the language)

She loved her books and she loved her GoodReads! We would talk about boardgames and books every time we spoke. She especially loved Reading Challenges. I think that her favorite challenge was to find how many requirements she could get out of a single book.

Again, thanks to this great community. My sister was a special person,, not just to me, but to everyone that she had contact with.

Michael

I completely froze when I saw this. I'm in shock. I had no idea. JoLene was always so kind and patent helping me so much when I first joined. I had wondered where she had gone but figured she just got busy. I know she'll be missed.

I gasped when I heard, as well. :'( I was on my lunch break at work and fought back tears.

Although, behind the scenes (as mentioned already), she had let us (the admins) know that she was sick and fighting. Still a shock.

I'm so sad to hear this news. Thank you Michael for taking the time to tell all her reading friends of her loss. Prayers to her family and friends. She will be greatly missed.

So sad to read this, my heart goes out to the family.

She was always so sweet. Such sad news! Well wishes and warm thoughts to her friends and family.

I am so sad to have lost our 'virtual' friend. She was such a bright light in our group and she will be missed every day. Thank you, Michael, for your kind words. Blessings and heartfelt sympathy to you and your family.

So sad news, my condolences to her family and friends.

Michael wrote: "Thanks so much for the kind words for my sister. To fill in a few comments that have been made.

The cancer was in remission until early this year. The doctors had found "some activity" and started..."

Michael,

I'm so so sorry for your loss. Thank you for kindly visiting us and letting us know about JoLene and more specifics. That was so thoughtful of you when I'm sure this is a very, very hard time for your family. She will be missed so much by our members.

If there is a place to direct a charitable donation in her memory, I'd appreciate having that information.

Thank you again for your visit and communication with us. I am sure I speak for the whole group when I say we are grateful! Your sister was a terrific woman . . .and she will be remembered here, especially when we read historical fiction!

I was so shocked to see this, as I guess I wasn't on PBT at all yesterday....I'm distressed.

Michael, thank you for letting us know the details. Where in California? I live in Long Beach, and if she's anywhere close by I would love to pay my respects if possible.

Where in California? I live in Long Beach, and if she's anywhere close by I would love to pay my respects if possible


That thought crossed my mind too, Anna. Jolene's profile page says San Carlos. That's a bit of a stretch from SoCal.

Jgrace wrote: "That thought crossed my mind too, Anna. Jolene's profile page says San Carlos..."

Oh, too bad - yeah, NoCal is a no can do...

This is so sad. I had wondered at her absence. My thoughts go to her family and friends in their difficult time of loss.

Oh, what sad news. Yes, she was a beloved member of PBT and will be missed.

This is very sad, but it hasn't really sunk in yet because I hadn't known she was ill. I always enjoyed her posts, her positivity and her presence here.

Michael, you and your family are in my thoughts and prayers.

I am so sorry to hear this, such sad news.