My father passed away four years ago today at age 86, and right now I am reminded of his courage as he faced his end by insisting that they take out the tubes and remove a CPAP mask, knowing that this meant he would die.
Dad on his wedding day, May 31, 1952
I have thought of him and missed him these past four years with mostly different memories of his love, kindness, and generosity to my mother, me and my brother and sister, our relatives, neighbors, and his friends. I also think of his ability to understand and fix things, and the disciplined approach he took to living, which enabled him to accomplish his goals, provide for his family and support his generosity.
And I think of his knowledge, which he willingly shared , and his curiosity to learn about new electronics, aviation, computers, photography, investment, gardening, indeed everything he turned his attention to. Out at the Baylands today, as Mom and I looked down on the boardwalk and remarked on the faces you could imagine in the knots of wood, I thought back to Dad installing knotty pine wainscoting in our kitchen, him telling me how knots formed in trees, and what they could mean on a wood working project.
He was an interesting man, and not only worked on many interesting things, but left behind an archive of photos, documents, and recollections. So while I will continue to miss him dearly, I have decided to start a web site about him, where I can gather my memories, and maybe collect memories from others who knew him.