hotelbearsf | (no subject)

My Grandfather passed away last night. We had gone to dinner and my Mom told me to go home and get some rest. I was barely home for fifteen minutes when the call came in; My Grandfather was on "final approach." I quickly ran to the car and made it down to Burlingame in a record 15 minutes. He was gone when I got there. Fortunately he did not die all alone; my brother was there when he took his last breath.

My Mom was handling the paperwork and my Grandmother was standing in his room, crying softly and holding his hand. My brother recited the prayer for the dead called the Kaddish and we all said our last goodbyes.

As I had wrote yesterday, his was a life of celebration, especially living to 102. I still keep thinking about my dinner with him last Wednesday when he said "my father thought I would never make it when I left the farm in Germany." He made it in spades. There were good times and some challenging ones but overall the good times prevailed. He was the life of the party and made sure that everyone around him reveled in the fun and the merriment.

I'll write more later. Right now I've got to flesh out his obit and get some sleep. Tomorrow I'll deal with the funeral arrangements with my Mom. We'll send him on his way on Sunday afternoon.

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Warm thoughts and big hugs.

Thanks, Gary - I really appreciate it!

May happy memories carry you through this sorrowful time. It sounds like he lived a very full and wonderful life, I'm sure you take great comfort in knowing you were a special part of his well-lived life. Take care, Mark.

Thanks, Mark for your thoughtfulness - it's so appreciated! Hugs.

Our condolences to you and your family, Mark.

Thanks Jack - big hugs to you and Steve. Great to see you the other day on Montgomery Street!

my heartfelt sympathy, Mark for you and your family.

Thanks, Fernando - I so appreciate your good thoughts. Big hugs.