My Father's Gone, Send A Prayer With Him (Vanity)

self | 10/8/03 | JohnRobertson

[John Robertson]

Born in 1918, he never knew his father, who died in the Great Flu Epidemic of that year. An Army vet of the Pacific theater, he was the sole survivor of a plane that went down in Borneo, and carried shrapnel his whole life. CCC camps in the 30s, outdoorsman, conservative, a hard-drinking man from the time when that description was uttered with some awe, not disparagement. But he quit one day, with his own one-step program: I'm through with that. Born and died in northwestern Pennsylvania, though he did some ranging in his time.

I was asked to deliver his eulogy. Here it is.

[John Robertson]

May his greatness comfort you,and make you smile

It does...and it does.

[John Robertson]

My Dad was born in 1919, Battle of the Bulge, engineer and writer. We're so grateful for his writing, and in eager anticipation of the stories he's promised to write down this fall.

Don't wait! For obvious reasons. Thanks for the kind wishes.

[Carolinamom]

What a beautiful soul...wish I had known him too. He left you not only his stories but such good memories. Be thankful for being his son, and I thank you for sharing w/us. He still lives within you now.

[Spunky]

"And now what we can do is send him with a prayer,......

What a wonderful tribute to your father.

[John Robertson]

My Dad will have been gone 39 years come January. I was eighteen, still miss him like the dickens.

Man! I am so lucky to have had mine as long as I did. Prayers for you, too.

[Mears]

Your post is making me weepy. Gee,I miss those old folks,they were a tough generation.

[John Robertson]

Thank you, for that.

[John Robertson]

I'm sure no days will go by that I don't think of him...and I'm glad it's that way. Thank you.

[John Robertson]

His kind made our country great. OH, THEY REALLY DID, DIDN'T THEY? My you find comfort in sweet memories. EVERY DAY. Thank you.

[John Robertson]

He still lives within you now.


Thank you very much for that. He does, I know.

Bye, Carolina.

[Howlin]

Do not stand at my grave and weep. 
I am not there, I do not sleep. 
I am a thousand winds that blow. 
I am the diamond glints on snow. 
I am the sunlight on ripened grain. 
I am the gentle autumn rain. 
When you awaken in the mornings hush, 
I am the swift uplifting rush 
of quiet birds in circled flight, 
I am the soft stars that shine at night. 
Do not stand at my grave and cry, 
I am not there, 
I did not die...

--Author Unknown 

[John Robertson]

Beautiful verse. I've never heard it before. Thank you.

[manna]

Prayer sent ...

[Libertina]

God blessed you by providing such a wonderful father. My condolences, John, for your loss. He will be watching over you from a better place now.

[wardaddy]

Yes....I'm 45 and I'm jealous of folks who still have both parents.

There is no greater influence on a man than a good father.

[Neenah]

John, when I read your wonderful tribute to your Dad, I remembered so vividly 6 years ago when I sat with pen and paper writing my tribute and eulogy for my Dad's funeral.

He too was born in 1915, and I just sat for a long time and stared out the window, asking myself "How can I give tribute to Dad in such a short space ? How can I put into words the millions of memories that are flooding me now as I sit with this paper in front of me?"

I wanted to give the hundreds of people who would be there at the funeral all the things I felt about my "hero", my Dad. But I knew I couldn't, and what a shame. I think what I said was good, and just enough to project the love and loss we felt when he left us as we slept. I always think of that song by Frank Sinatra " Softly, I will leave you softly".

I will always think of your boys lowering your Dad down so he can look up at the Redwood trees he so wanted to see on this earth. What a tender scene you shared. I couldn't help but think of all the times your Dad carried you, or lifted you kids up on his shoulder! Now you both helped hold him, and allow him to see the beauty of the trees, and the magnificent sky above it all.

He now is strong..and see's beauty that we can only imagine. Someone once explained it like this :

" When someone leaves us in death, it is like a person getting in a boat. The people on the shore, saying goodbye, are sad, they don't want him to go. They are sad. BUT....on the OTHER SHORE..there are people who KNOW he is soon going to ARRIVE..and there is laughter and anticipation to see him !! "

I hope you think of that, and think of the people who welcomed him "Home".

[deadhead]

Thanks for sharing your beautiful tribute to your dear Dad.
May he Rest In Peace.
Prayers sent for your Dad and all his loved ones.
Take Care, John. Cherish your memories of your Dad, I know you will.

sending a cup of coffee too :-)

[ivanhoe116]

An Army vet of the Pacific theater

I thank you for my freedom. God speed, sir.

[Johnny Gage]

Thank you for sharing this, and thank you for letting me get to know your dad.
Prayers are with you and your family.

SAM and Snippy bump.

[snippy_about_it]

John this is a wonderful tribute to your dad. He sounds like he was a lot of fun too. I'm so sorry for your loss, you were blessed to have him around for so long.