Celebration in death

Oyster · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 6:16 am

I feel the desire to type and even share to others in the passing of Pop as he was known and a way to say thanks to Pop, my FIL. He finally passed late yesterday afternoon in our home which we gladly opened up for him as he declined to a bedridden condition.. His contributions, even ones that cannot be measured by any tangible method will live on after his passing. He was 95 and would have been 96 on Dec. 7, another appropiate day in history that he was a part of during WWII.

His life consisted of a lot of events of world and national importance and he handled it with such grace and non-pretentous too. He lived through the horse and buggy days to the era of talkng to any and all people from around the globe at the touch of a fingertip. He was one of the few B-17 navigators left in the ever dying numbers of WWII veterans, even though he rarely if ever spoke about that time in history. He only knew that at that time that he and many others did what they had to do and felt the obligation and pride to do.

When he came back he continued to give to his country as a productive citizen and touched fellow members of his surroundings every sngle day without hesitation and fanfare. In the past two plus years we have had a fairly close one on one relationship with loosely caring for him with the help of one of the most loving parrtime caretakers that the world has ever known.

We , collectively my wife and I and his own grandsons learned the character and true grit that filled his life everyday and how determinated he was just in his immediate surroundings to make the world a better place one day at a time. [Surely sounds like a beauty pagent right? but true} I think sometimes we take so much for granted and rarely see this while living in our own compounds and cocoons far detached sometimes from others.

In the hours leading up to his death a lot or things pass before us, as some say and this also works in other ways. I think we finally had the time to take the time out in the darkness of the evenings as we sat and reflected and spoke about what amounts to a tiny portion of what the man was to so many, and stuff that will probably never be displayed on some piece of granite. If you think that the little things never makes a difference, thing again.

Many times I like to tell people when discussing boat building that all it takes to make a floating object is one piece at a time. This is also simular to laying bricks around a brick house. Folks that sums up his life. He created his own yacht club of mega yachts in his years of getting up in the morning and putting one piece at a time of love, sharing and caring, affecting and touching in a positive direction many people including our family that will forever live on in his death.

In the many years leading up to his death and talking about his long life past so many others of his era we jokingly would say as he would go to their viewing and funeral that he had to hang on long enough to make sure that there was someone was around to change the bedsheets at the funeral home. His last close friend past sunday night one week ago for his final chapter of inner circle. Another one of his goals after Mom passed was to see all of his granchildren graduate from college. This also was accomplished and brought him a big smile this past May.

For sure thanks Pop for allowing us into your private perimeter these past couple of years to give back a portion of what you have shared with the a portion of the world around you. It was indeed a unigue pleasure, one that I will make an attempt to pass along in your absence simular actions of giving. Eldercare was a very rewarding experience along with a very eye opening experience too in the worse of times that I am thankfull for in some many ways in your declining years. RIP as I know that you are finally in peace.

DaveLott · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 6:24 am

What a testament to life :shock:

It is often said it is not the things we collect that matter but the lives that we touch that brings eternal memories.

In sorrow for the temporary departure of "Pop".

ttownshaw · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 6:37 am

Peace be with you!

Iggy · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:19 am

Thank you for sharing this with us. Paying tribute to those for forged the road ahead of us and contributed in a meaningful way is something I hope all of us earn in our own lives.

fergal butler · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:47 am

My thoughts are with you and yours, I started building my boat after my dad passed and named it after him, I feel wood can absorb feelings and emotions as every time I'm out in her I feel he is with me.
I know this has been around but I feel it's a good way to show the circle of life through boating.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ruwRykY6 ... r_embedded

upspirate · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 11:36 am

Thanks for sharing Mike.

I know he was struggling badly at the end, but sounds like he accomplished many of his goals, and is now in peace

John K · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 1:10 pm

Sorry to hear that your dad has passed away.

A lot of what you wrote brings me memories of my Dad. He was a great teached and I owe my knowledge of a great number of things to him.

Bruce Dow · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 1:15 pm

What a great man.

Thanks for sharing his story with us.

Peace.

Gayle Brantuk · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 2:01 pm

What a wonderful celebration of your father-in-law's life. I'm sorry for your loss, but it sounds like your gain was so much more. Thank you for sharing Mike because we all need to be reminded now and again that we don't just live our lives unto ourselves but have such an opportunity to affect others. And, this isn't all there is... blessings to you and your family.

billy c · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:11 pm

thanks for posting this Mike
my thoughts are with you and your family
sounds like he was loved, respected and lived a full life
-Billy

Bill Edmundson · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 7:12 pm

Mike

My mother died summer '10 @ 92. Her family's grocery business helped get their town through the depession. She did over a 1000 mile road trip on a Harley back in the '30s with her brother and friends. She worked in DC for the Secretary of the Navy when the Japanese attacted. The list goes on and on.

Yes, these were special people.

Bill

Grand Chillin · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 8:32 pm

Mike,
Sorry to hear about Pops. Our thoughts and prayers are with you, Linda and family. I know that he was grateful that ya'll opened your home to him for his finsl days. A fine thing to do indeed.

leakcheck · **Posted:** Thu Oct 20, 2011 9:26 pm

Mike .....

With posts like that you are bound to lose your "crotchety old grumpy guy" tag line!!!

That was so nice.

Now wipe off your keyboard and go do something your dad-in-law would want you to do!

Pass on our sympathies to your lovely wife as well please!

Thanks for posting that!

Steve

Roberta Hegy · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 4:29 am

Sad to lose someone who means so much. Glad that you had the life to share.

Roberta

Oyster · **Posted:** Fri Oct 21, 2011 7:02 pm

Thanks folks for the kind words and thoughts. He will be missed.

Glen-L.com

Celebration in death

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