Thanks for the kind notes. My Dad was born in Brooklyn in 1926, was almost 92, and he passed away in his own home with my Mom and all of his adult children and grandchildren there with him....an unusual event in the modern world. He was still working right up to the last two weeks of his life and he was funny and joking right up to the very end. In fact, my eldest daughter was sitting with him one evening in the living room and I mentioned that I had been up with him since 4:30 in the morning. I said to all gathered there that Dad was still getting up early in the morning just as he had for the past ninety years. And then my daughter started to laugh and said, "But we always know what you say about getting up early." He laughed and asked her to tell everyone what he always said......She quoted him, "All is right by God's world early in the morning..." Then there would be a long pause as he had a sip of his coffee and he would conclude by saying......."until all the idiots get up !"
Dad was a World War two Navy veteran. He was a radioman and gunner in PBYs and torpedo planes and stationed aboard the USS Lexington*. He and my Mom were married for 65 years. She is 93 and still living in their home...and she is doing surprising well although she misses him terribly. I told her not to worry very much. In a twinkling of God's eye, all of us....her, children, and grandchildren.... will be on his side of the Jordan and he will be waiting for us with those twinkling eyes, a big smile....and a wise crack or two.
* He was stationed aboard the second Lex....the first was sunk at the battle of the Coral Sea early in the war. It was his first and only ship but, as it turned out, it was also my first ship when I was assigned to it in 1973 as a Naval Academy midshipman.
I'll get some pictures of the progress on the blunderbuss out here in the next day or so, but, again, thank you all for your thoughtful comments.
Dave C
