Shawn and I took a week of our vacation time to head south. We were long overdue to meet our newest granddaughter, Madison Chanel Lynn Ridings, who was born April 1, 2011, shortly after we began caring for Daddy. More on that part of our visit in another post.We made it into Grant, Alabama and my brother's house on Thursday evening a little later than we planned. John now lives in a beautiful spot up on a mountain, surrounded by trees and with just enough seclusion to make it peaceful. I am happy he found the place.
We decided that to just put Daddy's ashes in the ground was not right. We had the funeral home separate some out into two containers for the two places we knew were special to him: his birthplace of Blanket, Texas and the lake in Guntersville where he spent so much time in various boats on the water. Especially after his wife Micki had passed he was happiest when he was out on a boat. So Friday evening we headed to his favorite boat launch and left a part of him there where we had seen him so happy. The first photo above was from the dock. It was a perfect night - warm with a slight breeze, gorgeous light and calm water. I hope he smiled when he saw what we were doing.
On Saturday morning we held his memorial service. Pastor Rick Bell, who had answered many of Daddy's questions about life, death and heaven and hell, spoke of the man that he had come to know. He told us stories to make us smile and remember the man that Daddy was before illness took him away from us. The people who Daddy loved and respected were there and we were able to hear new stories of the man that they had come to love and respect in return. We laughed and cried in turn as the past came back. Then Daddy was laid next to Micki, with the heart shaped locket that holds their pictures inside.
After the service my brother's church had prepared lunch for us. Since the church was near Daddy's house, we drove by. I wish we hadn't. Daddy had put his home into a reverse mortgage after Micki passed, refusing to accept help from any of us. It kept him in his home until his illness made it necessary to bring him to live with us last January. The bank has now taken it back and it truly looks deserted - the yard he took such pride in overgrown and desolate, the fence falling over with the weight of ivy that has grown out of control. My only consolation is that the bank that charged him such high interest on his mortgage will never get their money back with the house in its current condition.
It was hard to come home after such a short time with the rest of my family. Our next trip will hopefully include meeting my brother in Texas at my father's birthplace. I only wish that we could have gone there with him while he was still alive.
Rest in peace Daddy.
