Daddy with Bernard enjoying the outdoors
Daddy with Mom and John Anthony at Jeremy's graduation
Daddy with Nicholas and Bernard at Thanksgiving 2010
Daddy saying good-bye to us all after Thanksgiving Dinner
Kelsey with her granddaddy on Thanksgiving DayGod is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. Psalm 46:1
I had thought that my last post of 2010 would be one of reflection of the year. It has been quite a year but I won't reflect on the whole year. I want to pay tribute to my father. Two and a half years after burying our mother due to an unexpected death which shocked our family tremendously, we find ourselves burying our father, also after an unexpected death.
On Tuesday, December 28th, my father slipped on a piece of ice while feeding his dogs and hit his head. The fall was fatal. He was alone as he lived by himself. While we went about our normal business of returning home from work, shopping, spending time with our immediate families, my father laid dead on a cold ground all alone except for the two dogs that he was attempting to feed.
He would have laid there overnight except that a routine had been established in that he would call my sister, Susie, every evening once he was in the house for the night. Daddy spent a lot of time outdoors as he had two dogs, 3 cows, 2 calfs, and 1 bull. He also owned over 20 acres of land which he maintained. He like being outdoors. He liked keeping busy and he was a hard worker. When he did not call Susie, she called him and did not get an answer. Our brother, Roy, immediately drove the 12 miles up the mountain to his home. Upon getting there, he did not find daddy in the house so he called back to let us know as it was dark and after 7:00 p.m. and it was obvious that something was wrong.
We three sisters, along with our sister-in-law, started what seemed like a very long ride to Bacon Hollow praying as went that he had only fallen and hurt himself and would be fine. The prayer lines with our church families were started as we drove. My heart was full of hope as we rode. Surely God would not take our father now. He had survived the horrible grief of losing his wife of 47 years. He had drawn so much closer to his children in the 2 1/2 years since her death. We had drawn so much closer to him and our children looked forward to the weekly visits and the cookies that he always brought them. Daddy had just started being able to talk about mama in the last 6 months. We were able to share our memories of her together. He had started to smile and while we knew that he was lonely, he seemed content with his life and enjoyed the time spent with his children and grandchildren.
Daddy was a quiet man. He was a strict father who believed in firm discipline. He believed in hard work, honesty, and he made sure that his children grew up in church. Daddy had a difficult childhood. We know this not because of what he told us but what he shared with my mother and she shared with us. He did not hug and tell us that he loved us often....but we knew it. He showed it in how he provided for us, how he shared his concerns for us when we traveled or when we were sick. Daddy was respected by his children and others that knew him. We didn't realize how much until we talked with the many people that came to pay their respects last night at the funeral home and at the church today for the funeral. As I watched my husband, two grown sons, my brother-in-law, my cousin and my nephew carry my father to his final resting place beside my dear mother, I wonder if the two of them are rejoicing in Heaven as they are now reunited. I wonder if he knows of our love and our grief at our loss.
The love and support of our church family and friends has helped us through these past few very difficult days. Their prayers will help sustain us in the coming days and the coming months as we face life without him.
