Ilona Virginia Carter
January 9, 1958 - February 27, 2008

My sweet Aunt Ilona passed away early this morning. As many of you know, she was fighting colon cancer for the last 8 years. In the past few years, it spread to the rest of her body. In January, we were informed that she had several brain tumors. In the past week, her health declined very rapidly, something I was not prepared for. She was admitted to the hospital this past Sunday and her health continued to decline very fast. Luckily, I made it to Lexington on time to say goodbye to her.

Ilona was the sweetest person. She has one son and they were each other's lives. She loved animals, especially her dogs and cat. She had two basenjis named meko and pangi when i was growing up. they passed on but she got two more names p-nut and pheonix and also a black lab mix named padme. My dear aunt loved life. She painted and was very talented at it. She loved the Beatles and Jane Austen Books. She absolutely loved being at the beach. My memories of her are filled with her laughter and great sense of humor. She was always there for me. She spent her life loving other people. She was SO full of love.

Ilona was always positive throughout her fight. She never gave up and she fought hard up until the very last second. I know that she is in heaven and that is comforting. She was among few who make up the best kind of people that exist in this world.

I will post more soon. I am still in Kentucky and will want to put up more pictures and words. Right now my mom's side of the family is all together while a few are working through the details of her funeral (except that it is going to be a celebration and not really a funeral because that is what she requested!)

My heart is aching. I love you Ilona! You will be greatly missed and not a day will go by without thinking of you. I can't wait to see you again.