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On the day she died, Terri Schiavo was on the minds of many in Iredell County.

And many in the clergy said they felt she didn’t get the proper chance to live out her life.

“I don’t believe she was in a vegetative state,” said the Rev. James Byer, parochial vicar at St. Philip the Apostle Catholic Church. “She should have been given a chance to live. I’ve seen people in a vegetative state, and Terri was not in one.”

Peter Varvaris, pastor at Holy Trinity Lutheran Church, agreed: “She was not in the dying process. Removing nutrition from her killed her.”

Schiavo died Thursday morning in the Florida hospice where she had been treated for many of the 15 years since her life dramatically changed after an illness and brief stoppage of her heart.

She died 13 days after her husband, Michael Schiavo, enforced a court order allowing him to remove her feeding tube.

Fairview Baptist Church senior pastor Scott Eanes said he believes the feeding tube should have been reinserted, and that Thursday’s outcome brings the country closer to legalizing euthanasia. He also said people “got carried away on both sides.”

“There need to be better laws to keep these situations from being so dramatic,” he said.

Broad Street United Methodist Church’s pastor, Don Shuman, agreed that this case should not have become so prominent.

“I don’t know if any of us got the true story about the circumstances. Media groups had a field day ... ” he said.

Shuman said members of his church sided with Michael Schiavo.

“I think most of my congregation would say they didn’t want to be kept alive by a feeding tube.”

Plans for the body

Now Schiavo’s husband will have to decide what to do with her remains.

Lounell Grant, administrator for Bunch-Johnson Funeral Home, said in North Carolina, the spouse is the legal next of kin and is responsible for handling funeral and burial arrangements.

If there is no spouse, then adult children must decide. Next in line are surviving parents, she said.

Grant said there are times when the funeral home has to deal with families arguing over what to do with their loved one’s remains, but “the spouse has full control unless he relinquishes his rights in writing.”

Grant said funeral directors can end up mediating disputes between family members.

The high-profile Schiavo case has spiked interest in living wills, she said.

“We’ve never had as many requests for notarization of a living will. It used to be that we’d get one every couple of months. Just since this, we’ve had 15 or 20.”

Politicians weigh in

“This is a very sad day for our country,” said U.S. Rep. Virginia Foxx, R-5th. “My thoughts and prayers are with Terri Schiavo’s family. This is a tragedy, not only because of the life that was lost, but because our government was unable to perform its duty to protect the least among us.”

“I pray for all parties in the Schiavo case, and especially Mrs. Schiavo herself,” said U.S. Rep. Patrick T. McHenry, R-10th. “But as Americans we must learn from this and take a second look at the judiciary, and how we can stop judges from legislating from the bench.”

Decision is ‘never easy’

Ron Thompson, president and CEO of Hospice of Iredell County, said he hopes Schiavo’s death will lead to more discussion about such decisions.

“Making end-of-life care decisions are never easy. Terri Schiavo’s death clearly demonstrates the need for all of us to make decisions and to have discussions related to our wishes for care at the end of life.

“If there is anything good that can come from the events of the past 15 years, it is making people aware that conversations, living wills and health-care powers of attorney are necessary to avoid similar situations,” he said. “The Hospice community grieves Terri’s death and offers sympathy to her family. Also, Hospice is ready to assist anyone with having those conversations and providing resources.”

Seeing both sides

Many Iredell County residents seemed torn by the Schiavo controversy, and many who were asked for comment Thursday said they understand the reaction of both sides.

“My personal opinion is that he had the right,” said Ray Beltz. “But he could have left her in her parents care.”

Nonetheless, “If I was her husband, I would pull the feeding tube,” he added.

James Hooper said he feels bad for Terri Schiavo’s family, but said he thought Michael Schiavo had the right to remove her feeding tube.

“This is not an isolated case,” he said. “I guess it was her wish. I don’t know what she wanted. I hate it for the family. She seemed like a nice person.”

Scott Hill said people outside the family shouldn’t have been involved. “The public does not know enough about what is really going on in order to make a decision about what really happened.”

Thomas Lee said he agrees with both sides to a certain extent.

“It was the husband’s decision, although most parents would do the same thing by intervening. To live and have no contact with the world for 15 years is crazy.”

Brian Howell tried to speak from a parent’s perspective.

“I can understand the parents wanting to save her, because that is what they do. But being a parent myself, I would not want to see my child suffer.”

Betty Hoffman said she believes it should have been privately dealt with by the family.

“I’ve never seen anything like this,” she said. “It’s like the abortion issue. The family should have decided amongst themselves without the news being involved. The government should have never gotten involved, telling citizens what to do. God gives life and God can take life; that’s what I believe.”

For Steve Cook, the director at Nicholson Funeral Home, having a living will is key to assuring that your family and medical personnel know your wishes.

“I have a copy of mine, left with the funeral home,” he said. “I have a copy in both of my vehicles in case I’m in an accident. And I have a copy in my safe at home.”