Go with God, Old Soldier…
I lost my father last night. One moment I was holding his hand, feeling his pulse racing in one final effort to hold on to life. Then he closed his eyes, and I could feel his pulse slow until the last beat. You never realize life is so fragile until that moment when it ebbs away. Forever.
Here’s hoping you are in a better place Lieutenant.
Go with God, old soldier.
If you know an old soldier… spend time with them soon. We will all be poorer for their passing. Men like my dad were once young and brave — part of a great, noble effort that just managed to save the world. For that, they should be honored.
In his lifetime, my father was many things — a Forest Ranger on fire watch in the Olympic Mountains, a commander of Army Engineers in North Africa, a student at the Ecole des Beaux Arts in Paris, a college professor, a celebrated artist whose works hung in the Guggenheim, an illustrator for the Space Program. He was one of the “Greatest Generation” — those young Americans that fought to save the world from Nazi oppression in WWII. He lived an amazing life for 87 years, but his time came at last. I can only take solace in the fact that his passing was gentle and without pain. But I will miss him, and I already feel an emptiness in my life.
Though he never became a rich man, he was truly a gentleman and a scholar. He was compassionate to all and honest to a fault. One thing I can do in his memory, something I know would give him a smile, is to show some of his art. He would enjoy knowing that people, around the world, could see something he created.
God bless, Dad, this is for you.
Paul
It sounds like your dad had a full and exciting life.
Take care of yourself. That’s the best thing you can do for him now.
Ray
All my condolences, You are in our prayers…
Laurent.
Paul
My sincere condolances on the loss of your father and a fine example for all of us of the greatest generation our country has known.
Fred
Paul, you honor your father well,
Gary
I’m fighting back tears as I read your story, my dad is a US Army WWII vet, still with us, although in failing health.
I need to get to know him better and just talk.
Kelvin
Paul, please accept my condolances. My father was an “old soldier” also. The people of that generation were truley great.
Jack
Paul,
I’m sorry for your loss. Your dad was quite a strong individual! What a well rounded and talented man.
Scott
Folks,
I want to thank you all for the many kind words, prayers, and condolences.
It is hard for me to comprehend the fact that a good, kind, creative soul has left us.
Just Sunday when I saw my Dad, he noticed I’d arrived on my motorcycle and he was scolding me a bit. Then he said, “You know, when I was in North Africa, I had a motorcycle.” He paused for a bit, drawing a breath. Then he said proudly “A BMW… with a sidecar. Captured from the Krauts. AND (he raised his hand in the air for emphasis) it had REVERSE gear.”
I replied. “I never knew you had a motorcycle. Did you like it?”
“Like it? I loved it. I’d ride it at night in the desert, like Laurence of Arabia. I was young and foolish then I think.”
. . .
The lesson for all of us is to take time to really get to know your father, if you are fortunate enough that he is still here. After 52 years, I was still learning something new about him, and enjoying his wartime stories of adventure…
Here’s another one of his paintings, done in 1958. The little boy at the right is yours truly.
Image Link: http://i16.tinypic.com/688wz08.jpg
Sorry for your loss. Lost a Friend and Mentor and an Uncle Veterans of the same conflict, over the years. A great loss to us all. My Condolences. Greg
Paul-
I really enjoyed our time at the range, and was impressed with your intelligence, knowledge, enthusiasm… and good manners.
Hard not to think that at least some of this came from your father.
Meagre words of condolence seem so inadequate.
Nonetheless… I am so very sorry to read this.
Bruce