We said goodbye to a good man this week. My father in law died on Monday. Bede and I had gone to Idaho the week before to spend time with him before he died. All of his children were there. All 6 kids got to spend time with him before he died. It was an amazing and wonderful thing to see. His children love him and respect him so very much. Pete was a good man, a good husband, a good dad, a good, faithful Catholic. I watched his children care for him, love him, cry as he suffered. I watched as they prayed with him and for him. I watched them love their mother, who was losing her love of almost 60 years. I saw the love they have for each other. I saw the legacy of this good man. He taught these fine people to love, to have faith, to care for each other.
It is a very difficult thing to watch someone you love die.
I hope and pray I am blessed enough to die like Pete did. It was a blessed death. He had the sacraments, the last rights, confession, he had communion several times, he had priests come to see him and say mass at his bedside. His children prayed. They prayed the rosary, the chaplet of Divine Mercy. They prayed for a happy death for their dad. They laughed with him while he was still able and they cried when he no longer could carry on a conversation. They cried because they knew they were losing their father. They cried because he suffered. They cried because their life was changing too. They cried because they knew they would miss him so much.
Pete died the way we all pray to die. He was prepared, he was ready to meet Jesus.
He was a good man, a good father, a good husband, a good grand father, a good, faithful Catholic.
He was a good father in law. I loved him. I will miss him too. He was my father in law for almost 32 years. I have known him since I was 15 years old. He was a huge part of my life. He was indeed like a father to me.
Rest in Peace my dear friend, rest in peace.
