My Papa

Valentines day has always had a special meaning to me ever since 1995, Valentines day was the day My Papa passed away.

An extrememly quick history. He was married to Ruth Catherine, they had 5 beautiful daughters, 17 grandchildren. He fought in WWII, he was wounded at Iwo Jima, he owned many companies through the years, one of them my favorite called CABY (It was a trucking company that stood for Cleveland, Akron, Buffalo, Youngstown) HE LOVED TO GOLF. He had a putting green in his backyard. He used to travel all over on fabulous vacations. He was the president of the Father's Club while his girls were in school, President of the Country Club and The World's Best Grandpa.

In 1983 He had open heart surgery and without boring you with any of the details he had a hard time coming off the anesthesia and when he came out of surgery it was like the movie "Regarding Henry" with Harrison Ford. He had no memory what so ever. He had to learn to walk, tie his shoes, learn words all over again. I was 7 when this happened and I remember riding my bike to my grandparents house and doing flashcards with him all day. When he was finally able to walk he didn't stop. My granparents lived in a cul de sac on a long street so he would essentially walk the horsehoe all day long. He wasn't allowed to cross the street because he would get lost. But he would walk for hours, then he would come in and play solitaire this too, for hours.

My grandparents always lived extremely close my whole life. I think we saw them every couple of days. If not every day. It was nothing for them to pick me up from school even until I was in highschool. We spent many a nights sleeping over at their house or just hanging out there.

My Papa taught me so much and I am a better person for his lessons...

- How to take long naps during boring family parties.

- How to take a perfect nap - Just turn on a good golf game.

- Perserverance when dealt with a bad hand.

- Patience. He had 5 girls.

- Brunch on weekend mornings are a must and good quality family time.

- Kindness - I still remember that no matter how painful a treatment was while in the nursing home He being a grown man crying in pain, he would thank the nurse or doctor every time for taking good care of him. I make the girls thank the nurses for their shots.

- Loyalty, Compassion, Bravery, the list goes on and on.

My family was fortunate enough to live 30 minutes away from the veterans home that he spent the last few months of his life at. We would visit him several times a week, for hours and he was coherant right until his last days. And when his time was over here on earth, his wife, 4 of his daughters and 13 of his grandchildren were with him in the room holding his hands telling him we loved him. It was the most perfect ending to a wonderful life. I miss him every day and know that he watches over me and my family. I know that he would be so proud to be a great-grandfather. He will always be in our hearts and Valentines Day is special because I don't know that there is anyone around that had a bigger heart than my papa.

See you later alligator.