finally at rest.

My Papa passed away this morning very peacefully. I took off work yesterday because I knew the end was near, and I have never been so thankful in my life. Around 3 this morning he was experiencing some apnea and eventually quit breathing around 5. It was just like he was asleep. My Mom & sister said they have seen several people die and have never seen someone go so easily which brings a lot of peace to me & my family/

The night before last around 1 in the morning, we had a "family reunion" as he called it around his bed. He was very lucid so we took advantage of the situation. It was the most precious time I've ever spent with a person. He told us he loved us, was proud of us, everything that he hadn't really said that often (Papa was a very, very private man and much like my father, doesn't display his emotions). He looked at my sister and said "I love you" then looked at Dad and said "But I love him the most." It was something my father has waited a long time to hear.

Around 2, I was sitting by his bed and I asked him how he was "I've been a bad boy" he said. I asked him why and he said "I was at the barn with my brothers but I left because I didn't do it!" He had a sparkle in his eye and looked and acted just like a child. I guess he was remembering a time when he and his 3 brothers had been in trouble growing up. I couldn't help but smile.

We knew our time speaking to him was up so my Dad asked him if he wanted to lay down. Papa said "No, I just want to enjoy my last day here." He drifted off to sleep soon after and didn't wake up again. He opened his eyes a couple times yesterday and nodded his head, but he slept almost the entire day.

Obviously, we're all having a difficult time with this... especially Dad. However, we all know that he is in a much better place, had an amazing life, loved his family more than he could ever tell us and went very peacefully. That is all we could ever ask for.

Here are some of my favorite interesting tid-bits of information on my grandfather.

--Papa was a real life cowboy. He lived in Oklahoma until he went to college. He said the hardest thing he ever had to learn how to do was to sleep in a saddle.
--He was fluent in an Indian language (Choctaw, I think) and spoke it to us all of the time growing up. We never knew what the hell he was saying. He was also fluent German and I'm pretty sure Latin. He knew bits and pieces of other languages as well
--He received his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry in 1939, four years after graduating college. Yes, he skipped his master's!
--Papa had his first article published in a prestigious chemical magazine in 1938. Yep, before he was even a Dr.!!!!
--He worked at Kodak. While there he had at least 8 published articles (that I could find). He was granted 14 patents by the US & Canada in his first 6 years. Dad said he has upwards of 50 patents. Seriously, my grandfather was an inventor!
--He is one of the men (I believe there were 4 total) who perfected color film as we know it. We can all think Pops for no longer only having black & white photographs!
--He worked on the Manhattan Project. He mixed some of the chemicals such as the Uranium.

The funeral is Monday. Instead of mourning his death, I've decided to celebrate his life. Please pray for my family during these times. I know we'll be alright, we are at peace with his death.

Love,
Rose