So Long Dad.......

[Tom Brown]

I'm sorry, John. My heart goes out to you.

 

[scouter]

Thank you so much to everyone for their kind comments. They really mean a lot to me.

I shared this thread with my wife and my daughter (non RDP folks), and they really appreciate them as well.

 

[LuckyDaze]

My condolences to you and your family. It sounds like ya'll had some good times. Thank you for sharing. I wont lie either, made my eyes a little wet reading your post and series of photos.

Gonna go call my pops now.

 

[Advantage 1]

Very sorry for your loss, John.

Very nice post. Sounds like Lloyd was great man!

 

[rivermobster]

Wow...

What a great story and post! Sounds like he lived a very long and blessed life, and got the most out of it! He had to be damm proud to have such a kick azz son.

May he always be close in your heart. :thumbup:

 

[69GS]

Sorry for your loss, may he R.I.P

 

[scouter]

The final chapter. Heading to Monterey for the Celebration of life. More on that later.

 

[H20-ski]

Sorry to hear.

My mom will be 87 this year. We all know when people get that old they're approaching the end of their life, still doesn't make it any easier.

R.I.P.

 

[scouter]

Another "interesting" day of travel yesterday.

The wife and I fly from Yuma to Phoenix. Our daughter was flying from Denver to Phoenix and then we were all flying together to Monterey. My wife and I land about 1:45, and we have a 2:40 connecting flight at the gate right across from where we landed. I go to check the arrivals board and my daughter's plane is delayed. It's not due to land until 2:26 (14 minutes before the connecting flight). The worst part is that she is coming in 2 terminals away. We go to our gate and the gate agent calls for an electric cart for her. I hoof it down to her gate, which is at the VERY END of the A terminal. By now it's 2:30, her plane is at the gate, but they haven't opened the doors yet. Also, there is no electric cart to be seen. Call my wife, and she talks to the gate agent at our gate. Gate agent says "RUN" and if you see a cart, flag it down. I call my daughter and tell her she needs to run like crazy. I start to head back. My daughter catches up with me, and we run about 1/2 way back before seeing a cart. Flag the guy down and tell him to hit it. 1/2 way to our gate, the guy gives us a pitch about a gratuity (WTF is up with that? I was going to give him one anyway, but he had to ask?) Anyway, we get to our gate and the doors are closed. My wife is standing there saying the gate agent will be right back. She is doing paperwork on the plane. We get on and leave. Somehow my daughter's checked bag made it onto the plane and we all got to Monterey safe and sound.

So we're staying at the Hyatt Regency. After checking in, the 3 of us hit the bar for some much needed refreshments:



Slowly the rest of the family shows up in the bar (there are 11 of us) and we run up a $400 bar tab over several hours :yikes

Today, we have 2 events. We are scattering my dads ashes over Bird Rock in Monterey Bay along the 17 mile drive. My moms ashes were scattered there 18 years ago when she passed. We have hired a plane that is coming out of Sacramento to do the flyover. My 2 sisters and I will be in that plane. My step brother is a pilot. He is renting a 2nd plane at Monterey airport to do some sort of formation flying with the first plane. My wife and my niece and nephew will be in that plane. The other 4 family members (my brother in law, my daughter, my dads wife and her daughter in law) will observe from the beach along 17 mile drive. Between all of us, we should get some pretty good pictures.

The other thing we are doing is having a luncheon (I guess that's what these people up here call it) at the Monterey Peninsula Country Club. We will have a private room and decorate it with all kinds of pictures and other memorabilia of dad.

The hope is to have the fly over around 10am, so that we can all relax at the lunch. The fog may not cooperate, however, and we may have to do it later in the afternoon. Either way, it will be a special time for all of us.....

 

[BarryMac]

Enjoy your day remembering your dad, John...

Tanya and l stayed at the Hyatt regency for our first wedding anniversary. Nice place...

 

[TPC]

Your dad went the distance.
Sounds like he wouldn't have traded places with anyone and he raised a son so well you wouldn't trade places with anyone either.
You took good care of him until the end.

I'm going through it now with my dad.

 

[Advantage 1]

Very nice, John... very nice :thumbup:

 

[Flyinbowtie]

What Ross said.
You are doing right by him, well done.

 

[brgrcru]

Sorry for your loss.

 

[DaytonaBabe]

Thinking of you guys today... Hugs

 

[floatn turd]

Sorry man!

 

[JBS]

So sorry to just read this. Seems we are about the same age and I am having to go through this soon myself. Wish there was more I could offer. Take care and I can tell you had a great relationship with your dad. Good job

 

[scouter]

The whole Herman Munster Crew (btw, that's my idiot sister grabbing her crotch):



Ash spreading flight moved to the PM due to the fog, but it has cleared up nicely.

We're off to the "luncheon" now......

 

[BarryMac]

The whole Herman Munster Crew (btw, that's my idiot sister grabbing her crotch

She's drunk and trying not to fall over... lol

 

[scouter]

She's drunk and trying not to fall over... lol

Funny you should mention that... Details to follow....

 

[scouter]

Dad was proud......



Memory table:





Dad, himself (under the hat).



The view



My sisters and I:



Lunch was great. Lots of food and drinks.....

We did the flight after lunch. My idiot sister almost got kicked off. Too much drama, but she rallied and was allowed on the plane:





I need to get some pictures from the family members that were on the beach.

It was very surreal, dumping the ashes out of the plane (my other sister was in charge of that), and now dad is resting with mom.......

 

[Advantage 1]

Looked liked a really beautiful Celebration of Life weekend. Very nice your parents are together again.

Thank you for sharing.

 

[Flyinbowtie]

I can't imagine having done this in any way that would have pleased him more.
It sounds like you have a wonderful collection of memories with your father.
What more can a man ask for from life?
I lost my Dad a long time ago. I was 22. He was 57 when I lost him.
He was my best friend.
If I learned anything from going through that experience at that age it was this:
We can leave money, we can leave all sorts of things to those we love, but the one priceless gift we can leave are memories.
Memories of life...the good, the bad, how we fixed the things that got between us, and how we pulled together through tough times.
How we lived...and how we loved.
When I put this together we had just buried him and Cindy was 5 months pregnant with his first grandchild. I was overwhelmed with the contrast of all of that. I vowed right then and there that I would do my very best to create those memories for my family. To make our time together count, to make it have value. Now, with the incredible blessing of our grandchildren we get to start all over.
If you live in their memories, and in their hearts, then what else is there?

 

[scouter]

I can't imagine having done this in any way that would have pleased him more.
It sounds like you have a wonderful collection of memories with your father.
What more can a man ask for from life?
I lost my Dad a long time ago. I was 22. He was 57 when I lost him.
He was my best friend.
If I learned anything from going through that experience at that age it was this:
We can leave money, we can leave all sorts of things to those we love, but the one priceless gift we can leave are memories.
Memories of life...the good, the bad, how we fixed the things that got between us, and how we pulled together through tough times.
How we lived...and how we loved.
When I put this together we had just buried him and Cindy was 5 months pregnant with his first grandchild. I was overwhelmed with the contrast of all of that. I vowed right then and there that I would do my very best to create those memories for my family. To make our time together count, to make it have value. Now, with the incredible blessing of our grandchildren we get to start all over.
If you live in their memories, and in their hearts, then what else is there?

FBT thank you for sharing and you really hit the nail on the head.....

 

[scouter]

Home..... Nothing better than a beautiful sunset when you land at home. I gotta believe that dad arranged this for us.....