My precious Daddy went to be with the Lord around 3:15am this morning (10/24/21).
He fought hard, but this was so fast! A week ago, he was just a little sick - and now he is gone. My heart is breaking, I have all the emotions and none of... moreFrom Kristin:
My precious Daddy went to be with the Lord around 3:15am this morning (10/24/21).
He fought hard, but this was so fast! A week ago, he was just a little sick - and now he is gone. My heart is breaking, I have all the emotions and none of the emotions. I swing from uncontrollable sobbing to numbness from shock.
Dad, I love you so much! I miss you. I wish you were still here with us, laughing, joking, giving hugs, giving advice, playing games, watching movies, working on your beautiful property and home, loving us kids and your beautiful bride of almost 50 years - our Mom. You were so close to the 50th anniversary that you two had even started planning for it. You and Mom were just camping near a beautiful beach together, walking in the sand with your new ankle when you became sick. You loved to ride your bike, you loved to talk with family on the phone, and often sent me silly and serious articles to read and discuss. You grew to love my kitties, especially Mozzie. I wish I had a picture of you with them.
There aren’t words to express how our loss makes me feel, but YOU are Heaven’s gain. You love the Lord with all your heart and are enjoying the presence of God as you worship Him with all your heart.
You were faithful to your family and friends. You were fun, loving life, and eager to help others. You read and studied the Word daily, and encouraged me to do so.
I’m sorry the end was so difficult and sudden. So many times in just the past 18 hours, I’ve reached down for my phone to call you or send you a text just to let you know I love you. I pray Jesus tells you that I love you, in person.
I’m sorry we couldn’t have more time with you here. I’m sorry I didn’t play more Croquet with you. It was so fun playing Washer Toss - and beating you nearly every time! I remember when you said at my 8th grade graduation that my stubbornness had matured into determination. Thank you for always believing that I could do anything. Thank you for encouraging me to pursue piano teaching - I do what I love because you got me to try it!
Thank you for being my father, a wonderful gift to us all. You are precious and I miss you more than anything. The pain of this loss is bigger than anything I’ve ever known.
You’re reunited with your brother, a sister, your parents, and so many more in Heaven! Someday, I will see you again. Until then, I’ll tell others of the great father I had for 34 years. These photos are just a snapshot of what has been an amazing life with this amazing man. less
I can’t believe you’re gone, it all happened so fast. This is not how I pictured you going…I felt like we had decades longer with you. You were healthy, strong, resilient. You were a strong man of God who prayed earnestly for... moreFrom Michael:
Dad,
I can’t believe you’re gone, it all happened so fast. This is not how I pictured you going…I felt like we had decades longer with you. You were healthy, strong, resilient. You were a strong man of God who prayed earnestly for your wife, children, grandchildren, friends, and the lost. You deeply loved and deeply cared. You will be missed and the crater you left can never be filled—we lost a Saint and heaven gained a Citizen.
You were a steadfast encourager to me and I could not have made it through the many difficulties in life without your persistent and relentless desire to see me succeed (in fact you always saw me as succeeding and wouldn’t hear otherwise, no matter how many times I disagreed).
Thank you, Dad, for everything. For showing me how to be a strong man, a true friend, a faithful and loving husband, and a daddy to my son. You exemplified honor, trust, loyalty, and love in all you did. I know heaven is much better with you there. We are much worse without you down here.
I miss and love you.
“So with you: Now is your time of grief, but I will see you again and you will rejoice, and no one will take away your joy.”
John 16:22
“Brothers and sisters, we do not want you to be uninformed about those who sleep in death, so that you do not grieve like the rest of mankind, who have no hope. For we believe that Jesus died and rose again, and so we believe that God will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the Lord’s word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left until the coming of the Lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage one another with these words.”
-1 Thessalonians 4:13-18