Dad's Last Days

This post is a the first of a few "catch-up" posts starting from the end of the summer trip in 2019.  In mid-July 2019, upon arrival in Seattle, the majority of the summer and fall was taken up by my father's final days.  This picture, taken in early August was the LAST dinner he had with the family.

Cousins Kristina (from NY) and Henry (from Dallas) were fantastic supporters of the family as they came to Seattle to spend time with Dad.

These next few photos are hard to post but, for my own memory, I need to post them to remind myself how much misery he was in.  In constant pain and losing function in his lower extremities, he was falling all the time and it was impossible for my Mom to get him off the ground.  We called 911 at least three times in the last months.  After this last time, my Mom said it was time to take him to the hospital.

So that night, he was in the hospital and I could tell that he knew what was going on and he was SO scared.  He kept trying to climb out of bed.

By the next day, he was conscious and moved to a regular hospital room.  Not saying much, but paying attention.

And he was eating!  That was always a good sign.  I was scheduled to fly back to SF so I did right after this photo.

A few days later, I got an early morning call that he had passed in his sleep at the hospital.  Thanks to Marlene for this great obituary published in the Seattle Times.

A few weeks later, at the end of August, Onions and I returned to Seattle for the interring of my father's ashes.

In the same wing, our families ashes are in niches that all face each other.  This is my paternal grandfather.

My Dad's brother, Uncle Wendell.

My maternal grandparents.

This was supposed to be a family only event (that's Aunt Ming, my Mom's sister) on the right, but somehow old friends of my parents found out and came for the placing of the ashes.

Those urns are suprisingly heavy.  Lift with the legs!!

Post interrment, we dropped O off at his pre-school's beach day!

LUNCH!  Phew.

Now we are up to late September and my Mom and sister have arranged for a celebration of my father's life.  Henry, Kristina, Aunt Ming and Uncle Shao join all of us for a family dinner.

Here we are previewing the slide show.  One major undertaking was going through over 50 photo albums and selecting photos for the show.  Dad was all about documentation.  But what also happened was that we selected photos of friends and colleagues that we gave away to them at the celebration.  Some attendees were given an envelope of photos of themselves from over the past half century.  Quite a gift.

Mom selected a private dining room of a restaurant (Ray's Boathouse) along the water with the same view as from the house.  Alas, it was typical Seattle overcast.

I'm going to say that Mom did a great job with the food selection.  She didn't go cheap!  

Marlene spoke on behalf of Mom.

I spoke as well.  Onions has the video on his phone.  But what was also amazing was the speeches by all these people who I've kind of known all my life but not really understood their importance and history in my parents' lives.  These are friends from their lives when they were single and living life in the University District.  I now know that couple that set my parents up and the shenanigans of my parents lives before marriage and kids.  It was fun to hear stories.  And Peter, if you read this, this is the moment my kids realize why you are always in the periphery of my life.

I'll just leave this right here.  1970.  Mom at 26, Dad at 33 and you know who probably pooping in the diaper.