My father passed away on August 16th, 2016. At 8:00 A.M. He was getting dressed, collapsed and he was gone. He was seventy-two. No warning. He was scared of a long drawn out illness so this is what he wanted. He was a Vietnam veteran and served as a police officer for approximately twenty-four years (1970-1994). I got the call an hour after his death when dispatch told me to call my wife ASAP. Of course I knew instantly something had happened. I left work, we packed a few suitcases and took off. I live in western Idaho which is approximately a five hour drive from where my parents live in Eastern Idaho so we had some time to process before we arrived. Probably a good thing.
Right now very busy. Mom told me to take care of dad's gun collection and all of the various accoutrements. I spent five hours last night sorting things out and I'm still not done. So much stuff. Reloading equipment, ammo, stocks, leather gear, carrying cases, parts and pieces. Then there are all the photographs and hats and coffee cups. He even held onto the program from my high school graduation back in 1986 as well as every single school issued ID card I had from 7th grade to 12th grade. Every one.
Amazing how much a person can accumulate over 72 years and I'm coming across the most astounding things. For example dad saved everyone of my school issued ID cards going back to seventh grade. Everyone! I even found a faded copy of the program from my high school graduation on June 3, 1986. The memories are everywhere. Mom and dad have lived in their house since the spring of 1975. In the driveway dad wrote Jeff 1975 when the concrete was still wet. That same day we went and saw "The Sting" at a local drive-in. I guess I'm either cursed or blessed with a very strange memory for oddball details. I also remember going to the drive-in with my folks in 1975 to see "The Towering Inferno". Money was tight and the drive-in showed the big movies on their second or third go around (pre-VHS/streaming don't you know) and they were cheaper. I've always loved movies so instead of sleeping mom and dad had to deal with a chatty seven year old who would watch "both" features". Can you imagine driving home at 1:00 A.M. with a hyper seven year old? LOL. The memories are everywhere.
Right now very busy. Mom told me to take care of dad's gun collection and all of the various accoutrements. I spent five hours last night sorting things out and I'm still not done. So much stuff. Reloading equipment, ammo, stocks, leather gear, carrying cases, parts and pieces. Then there are all the photographs and hats and coffee cups. He even held onto the program from my high school graduation back in 1986 as well as every single school issued ID card I had from 7th grade to 12th grade. Every one.
Amazing how much a person can accumulate over 72 years and I'm coming across the most astounding things. For example dad saved everyone of my school issued ID cards going back to seventh grade. Everyone! I even found a faded copy of the program from my high school graduation on June 3, 1986. The memories are everywhere. Mom and dad have lived in their house since the spring of 1975. In the driveway dad wrote Jeff 1975 when the concrete was still wet. That same day we went and saw "The Sting" at a local drive-in. I guess I'm either cursed or blessed with a very strange memory for oddball details. I also remember going to the drive-in with my folks in 1975 to see "The Towering Inferno". Money was tight and the drive-in showed the big movies on their second or third go around (pre-VHS/streaming don't you know) and they were cheaper. I've always loved movies so instead of sleeping mom and dad had to deal with a chatty seven year old who would watch "both" features". Can you imagine driving home at 1:00 A.M. with a hyper seven year old? LOL. The memories are everywhere.
