eulogy

I’LL BE HONEST. AT FIRST I DIDN’T KNOW QUITE WHAT TO SAY. HOW, IN A FEW MINUTES, CAN YOU
SUMMARIZE THE LIFE OF A MAN WHO MEANT SO MUCH TO SO MANY? DAD TOUCHED EACH OF
OUR LIVES IN A UNIQUE AND MEANINGFUL WAY. HIS BRAVERY AND COURAGE THROUGHOUT LIFE,
AND ESPECIALLY OVER THE PAST SEVERAL MONTHS WAS OVERWHELMING. AND THROUGH IT ALL,
HE KEPT US STRONG. IN SICKNESS, HE BROUGHT US ALL CLOSER TOGETHER AND FOR THAT, I
WILL BE ETERNALLY GREATFUL.

SO TODAY, WE ARE HERE TO HONOR OUR PERSONAL HERO. OUR FATHER. GRANDFATHER.
BROTHER. UNCLE. A FRIEND TO SO MANY AND THE LOVING HUSBAND TO OUR MOTHER AND
STEPMOTHER PAT. I HOPE THAT THROUGH THIS EULOGY WHICH WILL CONTAIN SOME INTIMATE
MEMORIES OF DAD, YOU WILL UNDERSTAND WHY HE’S OUR HERO.

A HERO IS DEFINED AS A PERSON ADMIRED FOR HIS ACHIEVEMENTS AND NOBLE QUALITIES AS
WELL AS HIS COURAGE. NOW ANY OF YOU WHO REALLY KNOW HIM UNDERSTAND THAT HE MIGHT
NOT BE EXACTLY COMFORTABLE WITH THE TERM HERO. HE WAS A BIT MODEST. BUT AT THE
SAME TIME, HE’D BE REALLY DIGGING THE ATTENTION HE’S GETTING TODAY!
SOME OF HIS ACHIEVEMENTS ARE SITTING AMONG YOU. HIS KIDS.
EVERYONE OF US ARE WHERE WE ARE IN LIFE THANKS TO HIS LOVE AND GUIDANCE. HIS VALUES,
HIS DRY SENSE OF HUMOR. HIS PASSION FOR LIVING LIFE TO THE FULLEST WERE ALL INSTILLED
IN US AND IN TURN, TO OUR CHILDREN. I HAVE NO DOUBT THAT OUR GRANDCHILDREN WILL
SOMEDAY HAVE THOSE SAME QUALITIES PASSED ON--THOUGH HOPEFULLY NOT TOO SOON!!

HE IS A MAN WHO HAD SO MUCH PRIDE AND CONFIDENCE IN ALL OF US. HE COACHED MY LITTLE
LEAGUE TEAM, MANY YEARS AGO. NOW IN A WORD, I SUCKED! BUT HE BELIVED IN ME. ONE DAY
HE TOLD ME HE WAS PUTTING ME IN AT THIRD BASE. I WAS PSYCHED, BUT REMEMBER, I SUCKED!
THE FIRST BALL THAT CAME TO ME IN THE FIRST INNING WAS A MISSILE THROWN BY AN
OBVIOUSLY STEROID INDUCED 8 YEAR OLD. I WATCHED THAT BALL RIGHT UP UNTIL THE TIME IT
SMASHED INTO MY HEAD. WHEN I WOKE UP, I WAS IN DAD’S ARMS. HE DIDN’T GIVE UP ON ME. THE
NEXT GAME HE PUT ME IN AS A CATCHER--WITH ENOUGH BODY ARMOUR TO SUSTAIN A NUCLEAR
BLAST. THAT GAME, I HIT MY FIRST AND ONE AND ONLY HOMERUN. MY BASEBALL CAREER WAS
SHORT LIVED BUT THROUGHOUT MY LIFE, HE WAS ALWAYS THERE TO PICK ME UP.

SOMEONE ONCE SAID THAT THE WOMAN MAKES THE MAN. DAD WAS SO VERY LUCKY TO HAVE
HAD A BEAUTIFUL, CARING AND UNDERSTANDING WIFE BY HIS SIDE. PAT, HE ALWAYS CALLED YOU
HIS BEAUTIFUL BRIDE. WE ALL SAW THE EVERLASTING LOOK OF LOVE IN HIS EYES AS YOU
COMFORTED HIM. THERE IS NO QUESTION THAT YOU MADE HIS DAY, EVERY DAY. TOGETHER YOU
BUILT A GREAT LIFE AND TOGETHER, YOU TAUGHT US WHAT MARRIAGE IS ALL ABOUT. YOU KNEW
HIM BETTER THAN ANY OF US! YOU KNEW HIS QUIRKS AND ESPECIALLY THAT WIT OF HIS. YOU
SAW THAT ON THE OUTSIDE HE TRIED TO COME OFF AS THE BIG TOUGH GUY, BUT UNDERNEATH,
HE WAS A BIG MARSHMALLOW. YOUR CAT “RUSTY” WHO HE SWORE TO DESPISE ESCAPED ONE
DAY. DAD ACCIDENTLY LET HIM OUT. HE DESPISED THE CAT SO MUCH THAT HE WENT CRAZY
LOOKING FOR HIM!

THERE WAS A TIME WHEN HE WASN’T BIG ON THE OCEAN. MOSTLY BECAUSE TWO MINUTES IN THE
SUN TURNED HIM A PAINFUL SHADE OF RED. BUT YOU WENT TO HAWAII FIVE TIMES. WHEN HE
SAW THE WATER, IT WAS TOUGH TO GET HIM OUT. HE’D FLOAT FOREVER IN THAT DESPICTABLE
OCEAN, TAKING IN THE BEAUTY AND ENJOYING LIFE. HAD IT NOT BEEN FOR YOU, HE WOULD HAVE
MISSED OUT ON THAT.

AUNT PATSY AND UNCLE TOM, I KNOW TODAY HAS TO BE ESPECIALLY HARD ON YOU. I HOPE YOU
TAKE COMFORT IN KNOWING THAT DAD HAS JOINED FORCES WITH NANA, OUR GRANDFATHER AND
AUNT GAIL AND I WOULDN’T BE SURPRISED IF RIGHT NOW, THEY’RE ALL SIPPING A BIT OF BRANDY
AND TOASTING BOTH OF YOU.

TO THE 16 GRANDKIDS--OUR KIDS. HE LOVED YOU SO MUCH. WHETHER YOU LIVE CLOSE BY OR
STATES AWAY, HIS INTEREST IN WHAT YOU WERE UP TO AND HOW YOU WERE DOING WAS
ALWAYS HIGH ON HIS AGENDA. HE’D END EVERY PHONE CALL TO US WITH “GIVE THE KIDS A HUG
AND A KISS FOR ME.” HE WAS A VERY PROUD GRANDPA.

WE ARE ALL PROUD OF HIM TOO. OF ALL THE THINGS HE DID IN HIS BUSINESS LIFE, THE THING
THAT GAVE HIM THE MOST PRIDE WAS HIS JOB AS A TRANSPORTER AT YORK HOSPITAL. IT WAS
ALL HE TALKED ABOUT! BEING ABLE TO HELP PEOPLE IN THEIR TIME OF NEED WAS WHAT HE WAS
ALL ABOUT. AND WHEN I SAW HIS CO-WORKERS COME TO HIM IN HIS TIME OF NEED WITH THE
VISITS, THE TALKS, THE GIFTS…YOU SHOWED WHAT HE MEANT TO YOU. IT MADE ME SO PROUD
OF MY OLD MAN.

IN MY BUSINESS, WHEN WE WANT TO ILLUSTRATE THE LIFE OF A PERSON, WE DO IT WITH
SOMETHING CALLED A HIGHLIGHT REEL. NOW, IN THEIR OWN WORDS, HERE ARE SOME
HIGHLIGHTS OF DAD’S LIFE IN THE WORDS OF HIS KIDS.

LAURIE

I HAVE MANY MEMORIES OF NORM. ONE MEMORY I HAVE IS HIM PICKING THE TURKEY OFF THE
BONES AFTER EVERY THANKSGIVING AND CHRISTMAS TO MAKE HIS FAMOUS TURKEY SOUP. I DON’
T KNOW THAT I EVER HAD ANY, BUT IT SURE SMELLED GOOD!

ONE MEMORY THAT REALLY STANDS OUT FOR ME THOUGH, WAS ACTUALLY VERY RECENT. I WAS
IN THE HOSPITAL AT THE END OF JANUARY AFTER JUST BEING DIAGNOSED WITH DIABETES, WHICH
NORM HAD ALSO BEEN PREVIOUSLY DIAGNOSED WITH. I REMEMBER HIM CALLING ME AT THE
HOSPITAL. I DON’T REMEMBER HIS EXACT WORDS BUT I DO KNOW IT MADE ME FEEL BETTER. HE
KNEW WHAT I WAS GOING THROUGH LIKE NO ONE ELSE WOULD AND HE CARED ENOUGH TO TRY
AND MAKE IT EASIER ON ME. THAT MEANT A LOT TO ME.

LAURIE (CONT’D)

WHENEVER WE’D ALL GET TOGETHER AT MOM AND NORM’S HOUSE, NORM WOULD ACT LIKE HE
COULDN’T WAIT FOR US TO LEAVE. WHEN WE WOULD GET READY TO GO, HE’D SAY THINGS LIKE,
“I HATE LONG GOODBYES,” AND YET WE ALWAYS KNEW THAT HE LOVED US AND WOULD ALWAYS
BE THERE FOR US.

NORM AND I USED TO HAVE NICKNAMES FOR EACH OTHER. HE WOULD, AFFECTIONATELY OF
COURSE, CALL ME KLUTZ AND I WOULD, EQUALLY AFFECTIONATLEY CALL HIM FATS. I’M NOT
SURE HOW I GOT AWAY WITH THAT, BUT THEN AGAIN, HE WAS PROBABLY THE ONLY PERSON WHO
COULD HAVE GOTTEN AWAY WITH CALLING ME KLUTZ!

I GUESS ONE OF THE THINGS I ADMIRE MOST IS HOW NORM TOOK CARE OF TWO FAMILIES AT THE
SAME TIME. AFTER HE AND MOM GOT MARRIED HE TOOK CARE OF NORM, LORI, TOM AND
MARLISSA BUT HE ALSO TOOK ON A WHOLE OTHER FAMILY. HE PICKED UP THE BALL WHEN MY
BIOLOGICAL FATHER DROPPED IT. I KNOW, AS A PARENT, THAT RAISING KIDS ISN’T EASY AND IT
MUST BE DOUBLY HARD WHEN THEY STARTED OUT AS SOMEONE ELSE’S. I NEVER CALLED NORM
“DAD” LIKE RICK AND LUANNE DID. I GUESS FOR SOME REASON I FELT I OWED IT TO MY “REAL”
DAD. I JUST HOPE THAT NORM KNEW THAT I LOVED HIM AND THE FACT THAT I NEVER CALLED HIM
DAD DIDN’T MEAN A THING.
LAURIE (CONT’D)

WHEN I GOT MARRIED, I HAD TO CHOOSE WHETHER TO HAVE NORM OR MY DAD WALK ME DOWN
THE AISLE. OBVIOUSLY I CHOSE NORM. ONE OF MY FAVORITE PICTURES OF MY WEDDING DAY IS
WHEN NORM AN I ARE JUST ABOUT TO START DOWN THE AISLE. WE BOTH LOOK A LITTLE
NERVOUS!

I REALLY ADMIRED NORM FOR BECOMING A TRANSPORTER AT THE HOSPITAL. INSTEAD OF JUST
SITTING AROUND AT HOME AND DOING NOTHING AFTER HE RETIRED FROM THE PRINTING
EXPRESS, HE STARTED VOLUNTEERING AT THE HOSPITAL. I KNOW HE REALLY ENJOYED IT AND I’M
GLAD THAT HE HAD THAT OPPORTUNITY.

HAVING SAID ALL THIS, I THINK ONE OF THE THINGS I LOVE ABOUT NORM THE MOST IS HOW HAPPY
HE MADE MOM. DURING THE LAST FEW YEARS, THERE IS NO DOUBT THAT THEY MEANT THE
WORLD TO EACH OTHER. IT WAS REALLY A BEAUTIFUL THING TO SEE ESPECIALLY AFTER 30
PLUS YEARS OF MARRIAGE.

TOM

MY MEMORIES OF DAD SEEM TO START AT THE BEGINNINGS OF THE EXTENDED FAMILY. I
REMEMBER AS WE VISITED IN THE SUMMERS HOW HARD HE TRIED TO SHOW US HE LOVED US AND
HOW IT HURT HIM TO LEAVE US. IT WAS HARD BUT
MADE EASIER BY THE FACT THAT THROUGH THIS CHANGE IN LIFE, WE GAINED FOUR NEW SIBLINGS
AND A MOTHER. WE ALL HAVE GREAT MEMORIES OF THE TIMES WE SPENT TOGETHER IN THE
SUMMERS.

WHEN I LEFT THE AREA AFTER GRADUATION FROM HIGH SCHOOL, MY TIME WAS VERY LIMITED IN
SEEING DAD. IT SEEMED THE MILES BETWEEN US HAD US GROWING APART. I WAS ALONE AT
IOWA GOING TO COLLEGE WITH NO FAMILY AROUND AT GRADUATION. I WAS GOING TO SKIP THE
GRADUATION CEREMONY SINCE IT WAS SO FAR FOR ANYONE TO COME. DAD INSISTED ON
COMING OUT TO CELEBRATE THIS. HE HAD TO FLY INTO IOWA IN A DECEMBER SNOW STORM IN A
CROP DUSTER SIZE PLANE. WE HAD SO MUCH FUN TOGETHER THAT WEEKEND AND THAT'S WHEN
OUR BOND BECAME SEALED.

TOM (CONT’D)

MY FAVORITE MEMORY OF THAT WEEKEND CAME TWO NIGHTS BEFORE GRADUATION. I TOOK HIM
TO OUR FAVORITE PUB TO MEET ALL MY FRIENDS. HE LOVED THE ATTENTION OF ALL THE
COLLEGE GIRLS PUTTING THEIR ARMS AROUND HIM AND TELLING HIM STORIES ABOUT ME. MY
BUDDIES WANTED TO PROVED TO HIM THAT THEY COULD DRINK HIM UNDER THE TABLE. I
THOUGHT THIS COULD BE INTERESTING BECAUSE I SECRETLY KNEW NO ONE COULD DRINK DAD
UNDER A TABLE. THIS ONE GUY KEPT BRINGING HIM SHOTS AND HE CALMLY TOOK EACH ONE.
AFTER SEVERAL OF THESE, MY FRIEND WAS LOOKING WORN. I WAS STARTING TO GET REAL
WORRIED ABOUT DAD BUT HE SEEMED FINE. ON THE LAST SHOT, DAD SET HIS GLASS DOWN. MY
FRIEND FELL BACK AS HE POURED THE SHOT AND WAS OUT LIKE A LIGHT. DAD SMILED AND
ORDERED A BEER! FOR THE NEXT TWO DAYS, I WAS TOLD SEVERAL TIMES THAT I HAD THE
COOLEST DAD.

FROM THAT DAY ON, WE BEGAN TELLING EACH OTHER WE LOVED EACH OTHER BEFORE HANGING
UP ON CALLS.

TOM (CONT’D)

SINCE THEN, MY FAVORITE MEMORIES ARE OF WHEN I WOULD VISIT. WHENEVER WE WOULD GO
OUT AND RUN INTO THEIR FRIENDS, HE SEEMED TO PROUD TO INTRODUCE ME TO THEM. HE
ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL SPECIAL AND IMPORTANT.

MY BIGGEST REGRET IS NOT TAKING MORE TIME TO VISIT MORE OFTEN. I ALWAYS THOUGHT HE
WOULD BE HERE FOREVER AND THAT NEXT YEAR, I COULD GET OUT HERE. I HOPE HE KNOWS
HOW MUCH I LOVED HIM AND FORGIVES ME FOR THAT.

LUANNE

ONE THING I WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER IS THAT I WAS DAD’S “UGLY DUCKLING”. WHEN DAD AND
MOM MET I WAS 2 , AND WORE GIGANTIC GLASSES. HE JOKED THAT HE ALMOST DIDN’T MARRY
MOM BECAUSE “I WAS SO UGLY!” BUT I KNEW HE WAS JOKING. THAT’S THE WAY HE WAS. WHEN
WE MOVED AWAY TO OHIO AND I’D COME BACK TO VISIT, HE’D GIVE ME THE BIGGEST HUG. I
COULD ALWAYS FEEL HIS LOVE FOR ME.

RICK

IT WAS 1989 AND THE PRINTING EXPRESS WAS PLAYING A MUST WIN SOFTBALL GAME TO MAKE
THE PLAYOFFS. DAD WAS WELL PAST HIS PLAYING DAYS. I WAS COACHING THE TEAM AND DAD
AND MOM WERE IN THE BLEACHERS CHEERING US ON. THE GAME WAS GOING FINE UNTIL THE
BOTTOM HALF OF THE LAST INNING. THE SCORE WAS TIED AND THE PRINTING EXPRESS WAS UP
AT BAT. MY FUTURE BROTHER-IN-LAW STEVE LED OFF THE INNING WITH A DOUBLE. HE SLID INTO
SECOND BASE WHERE THE SECOND BASEMAN DIDN’T APPRECIATE HIS AGGRESSIVE SLIDE. A
LITTLE PUSHING AND SHOVING LED TO THE EJECTION OF BOTH PLAYERS. UNFORTUNATELY WE
DIDN’T HAVE ANOTHER PLAYER TO REPLACE STEVE AND THE UMPIRE TOLD ME THAT UNLESS I
HAD ANOTHER PLAYER, MY TEAM WOULD FORFEIT THE GAME. I LOOKED INTO THE STANDS AND
SAW DAD AND MOM. SO, IN MY ULTIMATE WISDOM, I POINTED AT DAD AND TOLD THE UMPIRE HE
WAS ON THE ROSTER. WELL, DAD DIDN’T COME TO PLAY. HE WAS WEARING DRESS PANTS AND A
SHIRT AND DRESS SHOES. HE LOOKED AT MY MOTHER AND SAID, “NO WAY!” WITH A LITTLE
PRODDING AND THE GAME ON THE LINE, HE DECIDED TO PINCH RUN FOR STEVE. THEN THE
FIREWORKS STARTED. DAD, NOT IN ANY TYPE OF PLAYING SHAPE, LET ALONE RUNNING, DECIDED
ON A LONG FLY BALL HE WAS GOING TO TAG UP AND TAKE THIRD.
RICK (CONT’D)

THE BALL WAS HIT ALMOST OUT OF THE BALLPARK BUT IT WAS STILL A BANG, BANG PLAY. WHEN
THE DUST CLEARED, STORMIN NORMAN WAS SAFE AT THIRD. THANK GOD THE NEXT BATTER
CRUSHED A HOMERUN AND DAD WALKED LEISURELY HOME WITH THE WINNING RUN.
LORI

MY DAD WAS A WISE AND CARING MAN. I REMEMBER WHEN I WAS 18 AND NEEDED TO BUY MY
FIRST CAR. I NEEDED MY DAD TO COME ALONG TO PROTECT ME FROM THE SLEAZY USED CAR
DEALER AND TO GUIDE ME TO BUY A RELIABLE CAR. HIS WISDOM HELPED ME PICK OUT A 1972 2-
TONED GREEN FORD MAVERICK. WHAT A BEAUT! BOUGHT IT IN THE DEAD OF WINTER, IT HAD NO
HEAT, THE TIRES WERE BALD, THE BATTERY HAD TO BE JUMPED AT LEAST ONCE A WEEK, THE
GAS GAUGE WAS BROKEN, THE BRAKES WERE SHOT AND IT NEEDED 2 QUARTS OF OIL A WEEK.
GOOD NEWS IS, I DIDN’T NEED OIL CHANGES. IN ONE HOLE, OUT THE OTHER. BUT THE BEST PART
IS, WHEN I WOULD RUN OUT OF GAS, NEED A JUMP START OR GET STUCK IN THE SNOW, MY DAD
WOULD BE THE FIRST TO CALL. HE WAS ALWAYS THERE TO HELP ME OUT. THE CAR DIED WITHIN A
YEAR AND HE HELPED ME PICK OUT ANOTHER CAR. A 1975 GREEN AMC PACER. I STOPPED TAKING
HIS ADVICE ON CARS AFTER THAT.

WHEN I MOVED AWAY, MY DAD ALWAYS MADE ME FEEL IMPORTANT WHEN I’D COME BACK TO
VISIT. MY FAVORITE SAYING WHEN I WOULD WALK IN THE DOOR, “READY FOR A BLOODY?” THEN
WE WOULD GO TO DAMONS AND PLAY TRIVIA. BETWEEN PAT, DAD AND I, WE WERE PRETTY
SMART.

LORI (CONT’D)

WE WOULD ALWAYS PLAY UNTIL WE WOULD WIN AT LEAST ONE GAME. OUR NICKNAME WAS
‘WHITEY’

MY DAD IS A VERY SPECIAL PERSON. AND I HOPE HE KNOWS HOW MUCH HE WILL BE MISSED BY
ALL OF US.
______________________________________________

THE OTHER DAY KRISTEN WROTE AN AMAZING POEM THAT SUMS UP DAD PERFECTLY. THERE’S
NO WAY I CAN DO IT JUSTICE SO……KRISTEN.

KRISTEN
I KNOW MY DADDY LOVED ME
THOUGH HE DIDN’T SAY IT EVERYDAY
WE RARELY SHOWED EMOTIONS
IN THAT TYPE OF WAY

BUT YOU ALWAYS KNEW HE LOVED YOU.
YOU COULD SEE IT IN HIS EYES
HE’D BRAG ABOUT HIS CHILDREN
WHILE BEAMING FULL OF PRIDE

THE GRANDKIDS HELD A SPECIAL PLACE
AS MANY PEOPLE KNOW
HE’D GIVE THEM HUGS AND KISSES
AND SAY IT WAS TIME TO GO

MY DADDY KNEW I LOVED HIM TOO
THOUGH I DIDN’T SAY IT EVERYDAY
I FIGURED HE WAS MY FATHER
HE PROBABLY KNEW IT ANYWAY

I DIDN’T TELL HIM HOW I LOVED THE WAY
HE’D COOK EXOTIC FOOD
ESCARGOT . . . STEAK TARTAR
DEPENDING ON HIS MOOD

UNFORTUNATELY HE MADE US TRY
ALL THAT HE’D CREATE
AN EPISODE OF YAN CAN COOK
MAY LEAD YOU TO YOUR FATE

I DIDN’T TELL HIM I LOVED THE TRIPS
WE TOOK IN HIS CADILLAC
THE STATLER BROTHER’S HOLY BIBLE
POURED THROUGH FROM FRONT TO BACK

AS MUCH AS WE COMPLAINED BACK THEN
FOND MEMORIES LURK INSIDE
LIST THE 12 APOSTLES?
I COULDN’T FORGET THEM IF I TRIED!

I DIDN’T TELL MY DAD I LOVED HIM
WHEN TROUBLE FOUND ME YET AGAIN
HE’D WELCOME ME WITH OPEN ARMS
WELL. . . MAYBE AFTER A TONIC AND GIN

HE REALLY WAS A TEDDY BEAR
A PUSHOVER IF YOU WOULD
HE’D GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU ASKED
IF IN ANYWAY HE COULD

SO MANY PEOPLE LOVED HIM
THEY SPREAD AROUND FOR MILES
MY DAD HAS PROBABLY MADE YOU LAUGH
OR AT LEAST INVOKED A SMILE
I DIDN’T TELL MY DAD I LOVED HIM
WHEN I FOUND OUT HE WAS ILL
I FIGURED HE WOULD BEAT IT
AND OUR WORLD WOULD CONTINUE STILL

AS HIS HEALTH FINALLY FAILED HIM
I REALIZED I’D SCREWED UP
I BEGAN TO TELL HIM EVERY DAY
THAT I LOVED HIM VERY MUCH

ON THE GOOD DAYS HE WOULD SAY IT BACK
THE BAD DAYS WEREN’T SO GOOD
IT WAS HORRIBLE TO SEE HIM LIVE
IN A WAY THAT NO ONE SHOULD

NOW THAT GOD HAS RESCUED HIM
FROM THE PAIN WHICH HE CONCEALED
I DO NOT FIND IT HARD AT ALL
TO TELL HIM HOW I FEEL

I LOVE YOU DAD FOR ALL THE THINGS
YOU DID THROUGH OUT MY YEARS
I LOVE YOU FOR THE LOVE YOU FELT
FOR THE ONES YOU HELD SO DEAR.

I SEE SO MUCH OF YOU IN ME
AND EVERYONE YOU TOUCHED
I KNOW THAT YOU ARE PEACEFUL NOW
BUT WE STILL MISS YOU SO MUCH

THESE THINGS I SHOULD HAVE SAID BEFORE
IN RETROSPECT I KNOW
IF ONLY I HAD A FEW MORE YEARS
TO REALLY LET IT SHOW

NOW THAT WE CAN TALK AGAIN
I CAN TELL YOU ALL THE TIME
YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU
SIPPING MAI TAIS IN THE SKY.

AS YOU CAN SEE, HE LOVED HIS CHILDREN--AND TAKE IT FROM ME, SOME OF US WERE HARD TO
LOVE!. THERE WAS NO DISTINCTION BETWEEN STEP CHILDREN AND BIOLOGICAL. WE WERE ALL
HIS BABIES.

THE SPIRIT OF OUR DAD WILL LIVE ON AS WILL OUR TREMENDOUS LOVE FOR HIM. THE BEST GIFT
HE’S GIVEN US IS HIS STRENGTH AND COURAGE AND THE AWESOME MEMORIES SO THAT WE TOO,
CAN LIVE LIFE TO ITS FULLEST. AND EVERY NOW AND THEN WE CAN TIP A BLOODY MARY, OR A
MAI TAI TOWARD HEAVEN AND SAY, “THANKS DAD.”