MY DAD WAS A VERY LOVING MAN WHO RAISED SIX CHILDREN. HE PROVIDED FOR AL OF US THE ONLY WAY HE KNEW HOW. HE GAVE US THE BEST CHRISTMASSES EVERY YEAR. HE ALWAYS KNEW WHAT THE RIGHT GIFT WOULD BE TO TOUCH YOUR HEART. LATER IN HIS LIFE HE BECAME A GRANDFATHER TO 12 GRANDCHILDREN. AT THE TIME OF HIS PASSING I WAS PREGNANT WITH HIS THIRTEENTH GRANDCHILD AND TWO MORE GRANDCHILREN HAVE BEEN CONCEIVED SINCE. HE WOULD HAVE LOVED THEM ALL AND I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW SAD I WAS THAT MY DAD COULDN'T SHARE IN OUR NEW ARRIVAL.HIS LEGACY REMAINS ALIVE THROUGH THE EYES OF THESE CHILDREN. HE LOVED HIS HOME AWAY FROM HOME AT HUBBARD LAKE AND IS BURIED BESIDE HIS PARENTS ON A SUNNY HILLSIDE OVERLOOKING BEAUTIFUL HUBBARD LAKE. HE IS SADLY MISSED BY MANY AND THE WORLD WILL NEVER BE THE SAME WITHOUT HIM. HE FOUGHT A HARD FIGHT OF CANCER AND LOST HIS BRAVE BATTLE ON JANUARY 9, 2004.  HIS DEATH WAS VERY SUDDEN AND MOST OF HIS CHILDREN COULDN'T BE THERE WHEN HE DID DIE AND THE GOOD LORD DECIDED TO BRING HIM HOME TO HEAVEN. WE COULDN'T HOLD HIS HAND WHEN HE PASSED BUT WE WILL ALWAYS CONTINUE TO FEEL HIS LOVE FOR US. A POEM WAS SHARED WITH ME THE OTHER DAY; IF TEARS COULD BUILD A STAIRWAY AND MEMORIES A LANE, I'D WALK RIGHT UP TO HEAVEN AND BRING YOU HOME AGAIN. ALL OF HIS FAMILY BELIEVE THIS POEM FITS WHAT OUR HEARTS ARE FEELING. HE SHARED A LIFETIME OF FAITH WITH US AND TAUGHT US HOW TO PRAY AND HOW TO LEAN ON THAT FAITH IN HARD TIMES AND GOOD TIMES. IF I DIDN'T HAVE THIS FAITH I'M NOT SURE IF I WOULD BE STRONG ENOUGH TO COME THROUGH THIS GRIEF PROCESS. DAD LOVED MICHIGAN STATE SPORTS AND WAS VERY PROUD THAT THREE OF HIS CHILDREN ATTENDED THIS COLLEGE. HE WENT TO CRAFT SHOWS AT THE COLLEGE EVERY YEAR AND ALWAYS BOUGHT SPECIAL AND UNIQUE GIFTS FOR ALL OF US. HE EMBROIDERED QUILTS IN HIS YOUNGER DAYS, A CRAFT HIS MOTHER TAUGHT HIM. HE LOVED COLLECTING PRECIOUS MOMENTS AND LEFT ALL OF US TO SHARE THOSE WHEN HE PASSED. WE PLAN ON PASSING THOSE TO NEXT GENERATION OF CHILDREN AND HOPEFULLY THEY WILL UNDERSTAND THE SPITIUAL MEANING BEHIND THEM. HE COLLECTED TEDDY BEARS AND AMERICANA COLLECTIBLES FOR MANY YEARS AND FULLY FURNISHED TWO HOMES WITH THESE COLLECTIBLES. WHEN HE PASSED AWAY IN JANUARY IT TOOK US MANY DAYS AND WEEKS TO SEPARATE ALL THESE COLLECTIBLES AND ALL OF US CAN DECORATE OUR HOMES NOW WITH THE THINGS HE LOVED SO MUCH. HE WILL LIVE ON NOT ONLY IN OUR MINDS BUT IN OUR HOMES AND HEARTS. WE ALL MISS YOU SO MUCH AND KNOW THAT WE WILL SEE YOU AGAIN IN HEAVEN.