Dad had been very sick with COPD and heart failure and as he had been suffering for quite some time, it was a blessing that he was able to pass away peacefully at home, where he loved to be. We were all very saddened and upset and it's felt quite a tough few weeks. We had a lovely celebration of his life at his funeral and the weather was beautiful. It couldn't have been a more bright, sunny and crisp November day after all the bleak fog, wind and rain we had been having.
My sister wrote a short poem for my dad, which my brother read out at his funeral. It sums him up completely:
Our Dad
We want to tell you about our dad
Who was kind and honest and good
He embodied the spirit of integrity
Much better than most men could.
Of course he had his faults
He could be grumpy and stubborn too
Some would say we've inherited these traits
So we've only mentioned a few!
He gave us our moral compass
To navigate life's hard tasks
Whenever we needed to know what to do
He was always there to ask.
We'll try to live up to his standards
Teach our children what he taught us three
Then they will be respected as he was
And that will be his lasting legacy
We'll remember him with love and affection
In the way our younger selves do
A gentleman who dressed with attention
Tall dark and handsome and holding a pint.
My dad will always be loved and cherished by us all. Rest in peace now my lovely dad, you can breathe easy now.
12th July 1934 - 19th November 2012
So sorry to hear this sad news.
ReplyDeleteAs you may know I lost my mother in the summer so I understand how you must all be feeling. Sending my sympathy to you and all your family.
Thank you Mark, losing a parent is really difficult, sorry for your loss too.
ReplyDelete