Around noon today will mark eleven years since my hero passed into the arms of Jesus, free from the horrible pain he experienced the last few months of his life.
Pop was the king of dad jokes. He loved his family. I’m not sure he ever really grew up. That mischievous boy was always there.
Our time together was normally working on cars. He taught me how to change the oil. That was really cool until I found out I could pay $20 and have the car vacuumed and the windows cleaned as well. I always had difficulty getting the oil filter off, so it was a win for me.
Pop named me and also gave me my nickname. I used to follow him around as a toddler, so he named me “Bug”. My first name is Anita. I was in fifth grade before I came across another girl with that same name. Mom said I was probably named after one of his old girlfriends. About a year before Pop died, I asked him why he named me that. I cannot remember the answer since Mom’s was so much funnier.
Pop was a proud Marine! He was tough. He was honorable and reliable. He worked hard all his life. We learned from watching our parents how to be reliable, honest adults. We also have weird humor and a little snark.
Pop fell in early 2012 and hit his head. The next day he became sick. A trip to the larger hospital in the area revealed a subdural hematoma. We thought it would be a short hospital stay and possibly surgery. His surgeon there asked about the bruising on his arms (which he had had for quite a while due to a blood thinner). The surgeon ordered a bone marrow aspiration. Pop had leukemia.
The next two months were difficult for him. He was in rehab or a hospital most of the time. He just wanted to go home. Mom brought him home. He watched black and white John Wayne movies on his HD television. Hospice was ordered. They were angels on earth.
He passed away surrounded by his family. My little sister was on her way back from the airport when she saw the sun peek through the clouds and pointing to the area of Pop’s house. She knew he was gone.
I miss Pop every day.
Weird Auntie 