Mrs Dad passed this week. Been busy with arrangements and funeral...guy was a heavy smoker.....made it to 85 smoking five or more packages (each containing 5) cigars a day! A day! 25 cigars.
Now I can go on about how poor his health was, couldn't breath, weased and coughed blood, oxygen level was 82 percent for last month and couldnt feed himself, had to be lifted to toilet...ect...
He picked to smoke and not exercise EVER, but he did live to 85. What I will say is he walked out of meals to smoke in middle, caused everyone to wait on him constantly so he could smoke and his last two years inconvienced his family beyond words. His wife and son, 24 hour a day care. And he had several strokes which took his memory and thoughts from us in the last year.
If I make any point here, even if someone don't quit for themselves....the work and time they cost others is just rude. Its lack of caring, and selfish.
Quit for your family.
As for my father in law...we were pals...my own father left when I was young, his was gone even younger......my grandfather stood in a lot and he reminded me of him. We ate lunch several times a week until he couldn't drive anymore...then it was monthly....just me and him...
He was a veteran...a Korean War vet...Bronze star and some other awards he wouldn't talk about to his family, ever....but he told me. 1st Cav Infantryman. He would see a young soldier with same patch and ask what their job was , usual response was "mechanized infantry".. he would laugh and say "We walked".. I took him to Washington DC to see the memorial. He cried and I teared up....I bought him a Korean Vet hat with 1st Cav patch. He wore it daily. We buried it with him. I took the flag. Family is not vets..they said he didn't talk about it "don't do anything for that" I stood up in office and told them they didn't have the right to decide that...I am vet....he was vet and he earned it...he gets it and that's all I got to say about that. Soo he is buried with a vet marker at his foot for the boyscouts to place the flag on holidays. Told Mrs I am giving flag from casket to my sons (his step grandsons and only grandchildren). They called him pap. Both are vets...One a marine with purple heart...pap and I went to his basic graduation and to pick him up when he returned from Afghanistan...so he gets it down the road...told mrs "that's the only thng I want for them" ...her brother can have all the tools and everything else (he is 53 and lives in parents basement, he was getting everything anyways)
as for his life, orphaned young, raised by aunt with no children, went into Army and was part of occupation forces in Japan before being sent to Korean war. Returned home and married...54 years....two children..bunches of nieces, nephews and extended family....mechanic...tinkerer...golfer...pilot...race car driver....all before 1970....sang johnny cash..was 5 foot nothing and 130 lbs but played santa claus for neighborhood every year...give the shirt off his back...mason.....school board member for trade school at one time......wore same shirt too much and knew the answer all the time....but he was known for cracking jokes, saying the wrong thing, (women were broads and you can guess the other terms) pulling pranks and being a funny guy.
I don't want a bunch of "sorry" posts. He lived well, left us fine and is in a better place....I placed his casket on the grave and told him bye, his wife told him to behave..
