Happy Birthday Dad

Today, May 7th, my Dad would have turned 86.
He passed away at age 52 of cancer.

I love my memories.
I miss his presence. Very much.

Hi Carman,

So sorry to hear that your Dad died very young no age at all, my Dad was 73 when he died, but miss him every day, I guess its so sad for me because he had gone back to PEI for the last time to see his Family .....only he never got back home to "US" as he died while over on the Island , and Mum and I never knew he had died until a good week later, due to a cockup in the Telegramn not getting to us in time

What Im trying to say, there`s never a right time to loose someone you love, but by keeping them alive in our hearts, then they are still with us, but I sure would give the world to be able to give both my Parents a big hug , a simple little thing like that, I miss so much , oh and my Dads Funny jokes

Keep your chin up,

Hilary

Originally posted by Hilary
Hi Carman,

So sorry to hear that your Dad died very young no age at all, my Dad was 73 when he died, but miss him every day, I guess its so sad for me because he had gone back to PEI for the last time to see his Family .....only he never got back home to "US" as he died while over on the Island , and Mum and I never knew he had died until a good week later, due to a cockup in the Telegramn not getting to us in time
........ I sure would give the world to be able to give both my Parents a big hug , a simple little thing like that, I miss so much , oh and my Dads Funny jokes

Hilary

Timing ... sigh.

I love the memories I have of my times with him. I have a powerful urge to visit his gravesite now and say a proper good-bye to him. I never got to ... yet. I was in BC ... and circumstances were awkward ... so ... at 50, the time has come.

You know, the last time I saw him in person, I was 11. I still hear his laughter. Wonderful sounds. The gruffness, emotional, superb gentleness of his voice when we first acknowledged each other as father-daughter. I'm lucky I had what little I did, and treasure it all.

Every parent child story is so different. And important, hey?

sigh.

Carmen,

Im sorry that you were so young when you last saw your Dad

I guess I was fortunate in that I was in my early twenties when my Dad died..

But as he died over on PEI while visiting is family (for the last time) and due to come back to Mum and I in England, we never were able to pay our respects , so last year when I went back to the Island, that was when I went to my Dads Grave and cried and cried....

Then a couple of days later I walked alone down that lovely country lane to pay my respects to my Dad once more, though this time while on my knees for over an hour (still sore)
I talked to my Dad and told him all I could, funny lot us daughters arent we?

Carmen you give in to that "powerful urge" to visit your Fathers Grave...otherwise I dont think you could ever forgive yourself.......

And shall you and I go on the John Edward show and wouldnt it be so funny if two Fathers came through for their daughters, you and me

All The Best,

Hilary.

[Geoff Winnington-Ball (RIP)]

Very moving, thank you on behalf of all of us.

My father died when I was 43, so I guess I had a bit of an edge up... except that we really only became friends the last ten years of my life. He and my mom had divorced when I was 12, and I saw virtually nothing of him in the following 20 years... not his fault, just the way things worked out.

I have a picture of him in front of his Tiger Moth in 1945 which I will scan sometime soon and post; the problem is, I need a new scanner, as my old one won't work with Windows XP (my current operating system). Plus, I spent all my money in England and France this May/June...

Thanks again. You, Karmen, and others like Mary lend a certain humanity to us which is appreciated. I'd like to see more women here -- they have a definitive contribution to make to MLU and all we represent.

Hello Geoff,

Not at all, I meant exactly what I said to Carmen

So you spent all your money in France and England eh? not on me you didnt
Couldnt resist that and if your wife is reading this...I have never met the man in my life

Today we went up to a beautiful little country church in Bramshott,
a lot of Canadians died at Bramshott Hospital and so are buried in the Churchyard....
So peaceful , just so sad that those Brave Boys died so young and in such a tragic way, one young MAN by the name of
L.Carston died in 1918 age 18,
And there was me going past every headstone singing
O`Canada , a to our Brave Boys, I just had to shorten my message as it was too long

Hilary

[Mary King]

My thoughts are with you all. Like Hilary I think if you feel you should visit your Father's grave, Carman, you definitely should go. I'm sorry he passed away so early in life but nothing can take away the memories you have of him.

It's so sad to hear of people losing their loved ones at such early ages. So many young ones have passed away giving their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy today.

Originally posted by Mary King
My thoughts are with you all. Like Hilary I think if you feel you should visit your Father's grave, Carman, you definitely should go. I'm sorry he passed away so early in life but nothing can take away the memories you have of him.

It's so sad to hear of people losing their loved ones at such early ages. So many young ones have passed away giving their lives for the freedoms that we enjoy today.

Hi Mary.

Thanks for you kind words, Hilary too, and Geoff I'm always saying that you to you!
My dad died of cancer, age 52. I had a personally involved relationship with him, but my not having been to his gravesite has been a sacrifice on my part. Not the way I wanted things, but the way I figured was best ... for others, even from age 18 when he died.. At 50 I feel I've sacrificed far more than is reasonable for a daughter who had a loving bond with her father, and still misses him deeply sometimes. I've played that role long enough and its time for me to openly do what is right by me ...and my father. Before it's too late. I lay my burden down ...and come out into the sunlight ... no, not brazenly, just "there" ... the time has arrived. I just want to quietly visit, alone, and just be with him for a while. ... that's all. Then share the experience with my daughters ... about the Afi (Grandpa) they never met

You're right Mary ... NOTHING can take the memories away. I truly treasure them. Every little bit counts

Nite, for now... "Karmen"