I'm sorry to have to share the news that we said goodbye to my father today. He was a bright light in the life of everyone he encountered, especially his family and close friends. He loved deeply and was deeply loved and set a great example for us all to follow.
I've never known a more unselfish man than Dad. I can't think of a single example where he put his own wishes, his own preferences, before others. He was deeply devoted to my mother, my three siblings and I, his seven grandchildren and his 10 great-grandchildren. He was wanted, first and foremost, what was best for each of us, what would make us happy.
His years spent caring for my mother during her long battle with Alzheimer's were truly inspiring. His patience was endless, his devotion untiring, and he cared for her until, in her final months, there was simply no other choice but to place her in a facility with fulltime care, and even then he visited her twice a day every throughout those six months.
The greatest lesson Dad ever taught me, and it was with his actions more than his words, was the importance in being a gentle man. He had not a hint of the bully in him. He taught us to value the courage of compassion, the dignity of openly expressed affection, the gift of a tear, whether shed in joy or sadness. He was never afraid to express his emotions, and made sure his children weren't either.
And he lived and died with our Sooners.
If I'm ever half the man he was, I'll be proud.
He was an anchor for me, and I'm bereft at losing him, but I'm grateful that, once we realized it was time to say goodbye, the end came very quickly. That confirmed for us that he was ready to go.
Hug someone you love today and tell them how much they mean to you. It's something Dad did often, and you could pay no greater tribute to a good and decent man, even if you never met him, than to do so.
Thanks again for your prayers and support. I am very grateful.
I'm sorry to have to share the news that we said goodbye to my father today. He was a bright light in the life of everyone he encountered, especially his family and close friends. He loved deeply and was deeply loved and set a great example for us all to follow.
I've never known a more unselfish man than Dad. I can't think of a single example where he put his own wishes, his own preferences, before others. He was deeply devoted to my mother, my three siblings and I, his seven grandchildren and his 10 great-grandchildren. He was wanted, first and foremost, what was best for each of us, what would make us happy.
His years spent caring for my mother during her long battle with Alzheimer's were truly inspiring. His patience was endless, his devotion untiring, and he cared for her until, in her final months, there was simply no other choice but to place her in a facility with fulltime care, and even then he visited her twice a day every throughout those six months.
The greatest lesson Dad ever taught me, and it was with his actions more than his words, was the importance in being a gentle man. He had not a hint of the bully in him. He taught us to value the courage of compassion, the dignity of openly expressed affection, the gift of a tear, whether shed in joy or sadness. He was never afraid to express his emotions, and made sure his children weren't either.
And he lived and died with our Sooners.
If I'm ever half the man he was, I'll be proud.
He was an anchor for me, and I'm bereft at losing him, but I'm grateful that, once we realized it was time to say goodbye, the end came very quickly. That confirmed for us that he was ready to go.
Hug someone you love today and tell them how much they mean to you. It's something Dad did often, and you could pay no greater tribute to a good and decent man, even if you never met him, than to do so.
Thanks again for your prayers and support. I am very grateful.