My Dad

[Spexvet]

He told stories about how, as a child, he followed the horse-drawn ice truck, as it delivered ice in North Philadelphia. He was the sonar man on a minesweeper that swept Nagasaki harbor at the end of WWII. After the service he graduated from Temple University. He taught elementary Phys Ed for almost 40 years. He ALWAYS had a second job, and a summer job. He was handy, generous, kind, and a goofball. I didn't hear a curse pass his lips until I was an adult, not even damn or hell. After a long illness in 2000/2001, he used a walker or wheelchair. For the last couple of years he has not known his family's names, who they were, and sometime where he was. Two weeks ago he kicked a nursing home aid in the chest, something he would never, ever do, had he been in his right mind. Last Wednesday he died of pneumonia as I held his hand.

[Steve Machol]

I'm so sorry to hear that. My condolences.

[k12311997]

I hope you will accept my sincere condolences.

[Uncle Fester]

After a 2 week battle with a couple of my sisters I convinced my mother (with help from other loved ones and his doctor) that Dad would not want to come out of his coma to a life attached to machines. Two days after we stopped food and water he lightened from his coma and I told him we loved him and it was ok to let go and stop breathing. He took one last breath, held it and died from a heart attack.

Easily the hardest time of my life.

My sympathy to you and yours Spex.

[Jana Lewis]

My deepest sympathy to you spex.

[spazz]

My sympathies, Spex.

[Diane]

My deepest condolences to you. Seems like your Dad was a very fine man. That's to be proud for. I'm sure you're just like him.

Diane

[Robert Martellaro]

Spexvet,

Your father must have been a pretty cool guy going by the one kid of his that I know.

I buried Anthony J. Martellaro November 27, 2010.

Celebrate his life, and make damn sure that you pass those stories of his youth, the war, and his adult life on to your children, nieces, nephews, or to anyone who will listen.

Peace,

Robert

[optilady1]

I am so sorry to hear of your loss, and I'm sending good thoughts your way. It's so hard to lose loved ones during a holiday season. I hope that you have family and friends to help carry the burden and bring you some peace.

[DragonLensmanWV]

Alzheimer's is SUCH a horrible disease. It kills your loved ones long before their body dies. Everyone that goes through that comes out of it with a new-found view of the end-of-life debate.

My father in law was a chemical engineer, and even early on in his dementia, he had problems. Once he was wanting to help fix supper so my wife had him make the Kool-Aid. Problem was, he could not figure out how to make Kool-Aid. Alzheimer's killed him and all four of his brothers. Now it's starting for his wife.
It touched my grandfather, who overheard his Colt pistol and his Winchester rifle plotting against him, so he took the rifle out and shot it with the pistol.

[NeGlassesGirl27]

I feel what you're going through as I was there with my mom last December 3rd when she passed away from multiple cardiac arrests. I was the only person in the room. It's a fortunate/unfortunate thing. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this difficult time.

[Now I See]

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. He sounds like he was a wonderful man, and I'm glad that you have many fond memories to carry you through this difficult time. Don't let the stories end....tell his stories....keep him in your heart.

[NCspecs]

I'm sorry for your loss. How lucky for you that you had such a person in your life to guide you and be your rock. Not everybody is as lucky as you and I'm sure it will take much time to process the loss. Thank you for intruducing him to us through his eulogy. Not often do any of us get a chance to meet someone or even hear of someone so special.

Thinking of you and your family.

[conantoptics]

Deeply sorry for you .

[Laurie]

Hi Spex,

My thoughts, prayers, and e-hugs are going out to you and your family now.

Love Love Love that you were able to be with him, and bring him comfort and held his hand through his last moments here on earth.

Sending extra good vibes to you tonight,

My daughters and I went to my next-door neighbor's mom's funeral today. She was 102, lived a good life, but it was still sad, and makes me all the more thankful for the people in our lives.

Big hugs to you (((( ))))

[kat]

You have wonderful memories to carry you forward..........my deepest sympathy's to you for you loss.

[cocoisland58]

It's never easy no matter how long we had them or the suffering they had to endure at the end. If you had the chance to say goodbye it's a gift. I did not but know that he always knew I loved him very much. I think as we lose this generation we not only mourn our loved ones but also the passage of time and the end to part of our own lives. Those stories though, we need to pass them on and see to it that they are passed on again to celebrate a good man and a life well lived. My condolences on your loss Spex.

[Optixx]

Montgomery Gentry, Something To Be Proud Of Lyrics

Looking for Montgomery Gentry tabs and chords? Browse alphabet (above).
Artist: Montgomery Gentry
Song: Something To Be Proud Of
Album: You Do Your Thing

Montgomery Gentry Sheet Music
Montgomery Gentry CDs

There's a story that my daddy tells religiously
Like clockwork every time he sees an opening
In a conversation about the way things used to be
Well I'd just roll my eyes and make a bee-line for the door
But I'd always wind up starry-eyed, cross-legged on the floor
Hanging on to every word
Man, the things I heard

It was harder times and longer days
Five miles to school, uphill both ways
We were cane switch raised, and dirt floor poor
'Course that was back before the war
Yeah, your uncle and I made quite a pair
Flying F-15's through hostile air
He went down but they missed me by a hair
He'd always stop right there and say...

That's something to be proud of
That's a life you can hang your hat on
That's a chin held high as the tears fall down
A gut sucked in, a chest stuck out
Like a small town flag a-flyin'
Or a newborn baby cryin'
In the arms of the woman that you love
That's something to be proud of
~Montgomery Gentry

Spex,
My deepest sympathies on you loss, stay in prayer, peace and love. Be proud of the life he led, be proud to be his child, be glad you could be with him at the end. It was the most important moment of his life, whether he knew it or not.

[FVCCHRIS]

Our Dads and our Moms- what fools we once thought of them, followed eventually by the realization that there was a reason why they said and did all those things. And how we spent our own years hoping and praying that we'd turn out to be as "good" as they were. They were from a generation of people never put to the test like any before them and will be missed. My Pop passed over 20 years ago at the age of 53 from chemical exposure in South Vietnam. His passing came quickly so we did not watch him go through the changes you saw your Dad suffer with. I am sorry for your loss and hope that you, like me eventually those more painful memories you spoke of will be distant and not often recalled. Instead you will think of all the many good times, happy days, and for me at least, some of the goofy, happy things that our Dads sometimes did. I am lucky to say now that whenever I think of my Dad it always makes me smile. I hope you'll learn to smile too. Chris.