Rest in Peace, Dad

Dad when he was just slightly younger with my sister and brother

It all happened so very quickly. A call on Monday last week that my dad was not doing well, was on respirators. To be fair, he was about to hit 102 years old but even though he was getting frail, his mind was still pretty good, he still checked out the computer, liked out posts.

I hadn't seen my dad for a couple of years as we live on different sides of the country, but we still talked. My sister, Chris, was his ever present care giver and my older brother, Rick made pretty regular trips to see him.

With my daughter Jennifer on his 100th birthday

Anyway, when Jo and I heard his condition, she said that I better get home. So Friday, I boarded a plane and headed back east. When I arrived in Ottawa, my daughter picked me up. She was kind of quiet (not Jenn at all) and I suspected I was too late. My dad had passed away. I never went up to North Bay, choosing to spend the time with Jenn and then go see my brother and his family when they returned. 

Mom and Dad and friend

He was a good dad, my mom, Edith, and dad, Real, were good parents who made sure we never lacked for anything. My dad was in the Air Force so we travelled over Eastern Canada and Europe during his career and all of his sons joined the Air Force... even some grand kids.

Fun and games in North Bay at the Base rink

I remember one conversation we had, where my dad said he worried that he wasn't a good father to us because he was away so much. I thought about that. We understood. We knew he loved us. He regularly had more than one job besides his career as an aero engine tech; working at the base cinema, at the curling club and hockey rink. 

Your kids. We miss you, Dad. 

We were the true nuclear family. We all went our different ways once we started out careers in the military and rarely saw each other. Although when we did get together, it was like we hadn't been apart.

Dad. Be at peace now. You lived a good, long life, saw the world, made history. Now you're back with Mom again. RIP