On the loss of your Dad.
You know He is in a better place.

My thoughts and prayers are with you dear friend.


Your Father was a Hero. They all were.


xoxo
LJ.

So sorry for your loss, Nanky!

My thoughts are with you in this difficult time.

Oh Nanky, I'm so sorry..... My heart goes out to you---along with many prayers for strength and peace....

Condolences to you and yours, nanky.

May your dad rest in peace.

I'm sorry about the loss of your dad.   RIP.

Best Regards Nanky to you & your family.

My Family sends it's prayer to you
for your strength through a very Hard time.
Stay strong my RO Buddy.
We will all be together someday.

My condolences on the the loss of your dad, Nanky.

Best Wishes.

sorry for your loss

Bless you all.

My dad, Art, turned 84 on April Fools day.

He was a salt of the Earth, depression era guy that fought on Iwo in WWII as part of the 5th Marines.
He worked maintenance for the railroad for 37 years after that.
Tough as nails, yet the nicest and most honest man I have ever known.

A few years back, when others in the family told him to put his assets in my name, he refused, arguing that it was gaming the system. 
Instead, he took care of himself up to the end - never asked for a thing from anyone.

Many Thanksgivings ago, when one of my cousin's bratty kids kept sticking his socks in Dad's face, Dad grabbed the little bastard and shoved one of the socks into his mouth.
When the kid's father (my cousin's asshole husband) got all huffy, dad grabbed the other sock and told him not to worry, he had a sock for his big mouth too!!

He loved a glass or two of wine, a good laugh, and, surprisingly, the Stones.
When I first got into the band, I would put my speakers in my bedroom window and blast the boys into the yard.  When I first bought and played Let It Bleed, he listened and said it was remarkable that a bunch of ugly bastards like them could put out such great music.  High praise for Art!!

Parkinsons Disease knocked him down over the last 5 years.
He was a shell of his former self.

Do me and Art a favor.
Tomorrow call your parents.
Tell them you love them, and tell 'em Art says "hey"

And thank you all for the kind wishes.

Nanky - your father reminds me of my grandfather - around the same age/era - but I have no doubts that your father was one of a kind.  Anyhow, my thoughts and prayers are with you and your family during this time.  Wish more on this planet were like him.  May he rest in peace.

My sincere condolences to You and Your family, Nanky

My sincere condolences, and a heartfelt salute to one of the Greatest Generation.

So sad for your loss.

My heartfelt condolences to your family and yourself Nanky .

'kins

Warm feelings sent your way my friend. As you know the line is always open.

When the kid's father (my cousin's asshole husband) got all huffy, dad grabbed the other sock and told him not to worry, he had a sock for his big mouth too!!

Priceless.

May the good Lord Shine A Light on you my friend.

"nanky, did he ever talk about iwo or the war?"

Actually you once asked if he would speak to your class by phone about the war.  

I mentioned it to him and he was actually up for it.
Surprising to me because he rarely mentioned it at all over the years.

So I was going to have him talk to you, but unfortunately, I found out he was going through a very difficult time mentally.  

Apparently, the Parkinson's medication he was on at that time caused him horrific hallucinations and paranoia that people were out to get him.  

I was afraid to burden him with much of anything and so I never put you in touch with him.  
A few months and a few trips to the neurologist later, he was switched to another medication and it straightened him out mentally.
But soon after several bouts of pneumonia put him in a home.  

He did not mention the war that much.
Growing up, he forbade me from watching MASH because war was not a comedy.
One day about 10 years ago, I was at his house and some show came on about PTSD and veterans, and he got up and went outside.  Sensing a moment, I followed him and asked if he was alright.  "Yeah, why?" he said -- looking genuinely unsure why I was asking.  So I mentioned that he got up abruptly during the show and so I thought maybe he was bothered by the subject because he never mentioned the war much.

His response, as best I recall it:

Not much to tell you.  You just keep your head down.  That's what they tell you to do, and for the most part, you naturally do it.  Unless you're an idiot.  Like one guy in our unit.  We all kept telling him "keep your head down, keep your head down" but he just always had to peer over the hole until one day, blammo, they blew his fool head right off.  Why couldn't he just keep his head down?

----------

That was one of those moments with Art!
There were others, about sea sickness in the Pacific aboard the large transports, confirmed kills (he was a 50 cal machine gunner, he had a few), the occupation of Japan after the surrender.  But keeping your head down was my favorite!

my great uncle is 92 and spent 6 months on the line in the ETO. he kept his head down and came out without a scratch....and he is still around to tell us the stories every christmas.

Nanky I am so deeply sorry for your loss.  I lost my Dad in 2005 and it's been a difficult and profound life changing experience for me.  I send you lots of prayers and love.

With sympathy,
Martha

Take care, Nanky! You write beautifully of him, sounds like he was a great guy.

Sorry to hear it nanky~ loss of a dad is one of those turning points in a lifetime, but the memories live on. It gets easier with time but you never forget. Peace.

sorry for your loss.