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My father passed away suddenly on December 14, 2003. He was an incredible man. He was a devoted husband to my mother.
They were married for over 58 years. He had four children, nine grandchildren and one great-grandchild. He
loved his family, and seemed to get more loving every day. It was a joy to watch him hold and cuddle my kids. I wish I had taken
them to his house more often. My son just loved to be with his "Pop-pop". How will a 3-year old little boy ever understand
that his grandfather is gone? I wish my little girl had been old enough to remember him, but she was only nine months old
when he died.
My Dad also loved to sing, whether it was in a Barbershop quartet, church choir, or solo. He loved flying, too,
although he had to give it up some years ago. It is with this in mind that I have posted the following poem.
"High Flight"
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward
I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds - and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of
- wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there,
I've chased the shouting wind along, and
flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air.
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept
heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or even eagle flew -
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The
high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
John Gillespie Magee, Jr.
I have many more things I could say about my Dad, as well as many regrets for not having spent more time with him in
the last few years. I was not ready to let go of my Dad, but nothing can change the fact that he is gone, nor ease the
pain of grief my family and I are feeling.
I am glad that one of the last things I said to him was "I love you, Dad".
I really miss him.
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