That was beautifully written. Your father sounds like a pretty fascinating guy. Not in, but thanks (both Sachys and The Sigil) for the giveaway.

Of all those I love that have passed on, my grandfather is who I'm thinking of tonight. He was by far the toughest son of a bitch I've ever known, and the kindest to boot. He could build pretty much any damn thing with his hands, lived for practical jokes, fought cancer for close to fifteen years without ever so much as complaining about not feeling well. He was a very proud man, and though pride isn't something I usually see as a strength, I always admired him for his. It becomes more evident all the time just how much he shaped who I became, and I'm just glad as hell I was lucky enough to know the guy.

Very well written, Sachys. Having company on the final leg of the journey is all one can wish for and it shows once more what's really important in life.

Condolences and all the best. My parents are still alive (and I'm glad for it), but still I can understand your loss.
Thanks and I'm in.

May he dance his way into the great beyond!

I'm in and thanks for the giveaway yet again!

I've had my fair share of losses, but thankfully (or not?) it was when I was still little. And I'm dreading the time when all my old relatives are going to kick the bucket :(

Thanks for sharing the story Sachys

I'm in and thank you

Dear Sachys, I don't know what to say about your situation... maybe because there is nothing smart/interesting/funny/wise to say in such a case. There is probaly nothing to say at all, and the better thing one can do is to be quiet and listen, if his friend needs to vent.
There is only one thing I want to say: your post is very beautiful.

I'm in. Not exactly in the mood to talk about my own experiences, but i can tell you one thing: your dad's life deserves to be celebrated. Get drunk and recall your best moments together. Not many people had such an eventful life. I'll drink for you and for your dad. Cheers to both of you!

Really found a bit strange, counting in into such a game, while on the same moment, reading such story. COuld remember stories as well, losing friends and family.. and nothing og that was a nice feeeling :(

Still, thank you for the story and yes, i'm in nevertheless.

Not in, but that was a very heartfelt read.

Count me in. And even though this comment isn't welcome, condolences Sachys.

Since you 'don't like that sentimental' - er, stuff - I'll stick with the minimal, "sorry to hear of his condition." For whatever its worth, he has good taste! My Mom and I have a high opinion of Johnny Cash. Turner is a pretty good painter to settle on too.

I'm in

As for the request well, that's tougher. I've got my immediate family and my Mom who is still doing okay, for which I am very grateful. I didn't have grand-parents (and could only count on my hostile step-father's mom to treat me as a grand-kid now and then - even before my Mom had to divorce her no-good son. I do respect what I remember about her. She is still alive, I hear, though in poor health now. I doubt I will be allowed to pay my respects when the time comes. Bottom line is that I didn't/don't have grandparents or a real father-type person I could miss when they go. Neither candidates were all that concerned in promoting or maintaining my well-being, even when I was small. (& yes, that's euphemistic)

I never got to know my "father's" brothers (or their families), and certainly they've never tried to know me. I finally have an email for one of them, so now that one gets holiday e-cards. He himself has decided to get back in touch, but he's utterly unrepentant about his selfish life choices and the horrible way I was treated at his house (until visitation ended.) This makes even short visits rather difficult. So far, we've managed to be polite to each other. I don't expect more of him. I don't believe he is truly sorry. I get the impression he just wanted to see his grandson.

I'm not super close to my Mom's extended clan either, though they have backed us up sometimes. We only visit with them very very rarely now. Its largely a distance issue. We've mostly lived hundreds of miles from the nearest of them. Other than that, we just send cards and make the very occasional phone call. Mom has felt alienated from most of them for a long time. Her parents died while she was in high school, and though they had willed to her and a brother the house and goods, the clan sold it out from under her and then made her feel very unwelcome staying with any of them. This was partly because of a difference in views over civil rights issues (which now that they are more 'enlightened,' no one will admit.) She married a guy quickly to get away from all that (a bad choice, but she felt desperate at the time.) Bridges have mended some over the years, but there's only a couple I missed when they passed on, and one more I will miss when she travels beyond, so I hope it won't be for a good while yet. I always look forward to hearing from that character.

Best I can do is a couple of tangential relations I dearly loved meeting when I was growing up.

I named my daughter for an aunt who was a regular volunteer nurse at a Veteran's hospital for burn victims. Not an easy task! She volunteered for a lot of other helpful organizations too, organizing relief with Red Cross, blood drives, and all that sort of thing. She was a major girl scout leader in her area, very talented, very kind. One summer, when I was seven, she and her honorable, decent husband kept me safe and cared for while my Mom dealt with a tough situation. I was hundreds of miles away when I heard she had suddenly died, and unable to say goodbye, but I still remember her fondly. She had succumbed to cancer that they believe came from exposure to early radiation equipment. She used to help the soldiers who were getting x-rayed.

The only relation with whom I had a warm relationship - and where I was able to attend the funeral - was my French great-great-great ** aunt (technically a cousin) who sometimes let me visit with her when I was growing up. She taught me some cooking, taught me about the French Revolution (and how it had affected her family,) and she showed me how to get an edge on card-playing relatives - without actually cheating. I loved her company, her jokes, her stories about relatives I would never meet, I loved her house on the sea-shore, the meals she still made there...I just loved everything about her. Odd thing was, she was so elderly even when I was small that she never seemed to age the whole time I knew her. She admitted she was well over a hundred years old, but would never say exactly how old because she 'didn't want people making a display of her.' I could hardly believe it when she passed away. She seemed like she would live forever, full of energy and goodwill. She told me once that she would live until one other cousin she watched over had passed away (This lady was elderly but decades younger than she was) and I had found a good man to love me. Cousin Naomi died just before the last Christmas gathering. She actually greeted my then husband-to-be during that last visit with these words. "You do love her. You will look out for her. Now I can rest in peace."

She passed away peacefully in her sleep the very next month.

** never was sure how many times "great" should have been used. 3x great aunt? 4x? 5?

Putting my hat in for comfort.

I'm in.

It's odd, around a week ago, my own uncle passed away. He was on life support, then vanished on the day itself from multiple organ failure. However, we never really knew him. He would take care not to show up to a lot of the family gatherings. I think, only my older relatives, parental age that is, knew how he really looked like. No one else would even be able to tell.

Your Dad's legacy will live on. He has led an admirable and fulfilling life. The most important bit is that he 'lived', through the good, the bad and the ugly. If only, everyone could say just as much about their own journey.

I'm in. Thank you.

The only relatives of mine that passed on since my birth, were my grandparents.
I don't really want to think about how I'd feel if any of my other relatives will pass on.
I'm still waiting for the day we can upload our conscience and thought processes to a satalite.

That's not a claim one can usually make without exaggerating, but in your father's case it looks like it's true. That sounds like a life worth living. I mean, it's a whole history lesson. I didn't even know there were sunk boats during the Cuban Missile Crisis.
It's usually the small things that I tend to remember from relatives that have passed on. I can vividly remember staying at my grandmother's house in Athens 20 something years ago and watching Cleopatra with her. And her trying to explain to me the significance of the snake bite suicide... :D Her family was from Asia Minor, but thankfully they had left before the 1919–22 war.
I'm in for the giveaway this time.

"Boat" at any rate would be the incorrect term - perhaps "shoddily and hastily constructed raft" would have been better.