housekeeper, mistress forbes enslaved valet christopher shields and enslaved housemaids caroline morley, charlotte. in the days after washington's death, tobias lear chronicled washington's deathbed in his diary. lear explained washington was resigned to. he also explained how washington prepared for death by ensuring that missouri's washington had possession of his will and. by giving instructions for his burial. mount vernon in the family tomb. lear also explained that washington died a good death. according to lear, washington died, quote, without struggle or sigh in quote. he also wrote that washington ends, quote, patience, fortitude, resignation, never forsook him for a moment. in all his distress he uttered, not sigh, nor a complaint, end quote. this was a secular deathbed narrative. it was the deathbed narrative of an elite episcopalian land owner in virginia. lear's deathbed narrative for washington followed the pattern of other episcopalian deathbed narrative. as such, it provided to the living that washington died. the good of an episcopalian who rested in the hope of salvati