25 Years Of Loving Memories!
WOW! It is very hard to believe that on this day April 25, 2000, I lost one of the most fun and loving people that I have ever known. And I called him Pap!
It really is true about how time flies, it still feels like only yesterday that I was told that Pap had past away. It was my first experience with death in my life and honestly, didn't handle it too well.
For nearly ten years, my Pap never failed to make me smile and laugh. Heck! I always looked forward to seeing him and Nan when I was a kid.
Some of my personal favorite memories with Pap was when he took me and my big brother Cody to go see the Merf Dog. I also loved when every time that we would leave and we forgot to hug him, he would begin to "cry" that we didn't hug him and we ended up running back up the porch step and give him and Nan and BIG Hug.
Baseball season would come around and he be there watching the Cardinals play and I be sitting there with him and having fun. I remember hanging out in the backyard and playing wiffle ball with him and trying to smash the ball into outer space.
Of course, my Pap was also a huge Dallas Cowboys fan!
He was always so goofy and funny to me as a kid. But to be perfectly honest, now that I am much older, I sometimes wonder if he did all of that on purpose just to annoy my Nan 😁.
Every chance we got to go with our Father who used to work overnight to go and drop us off at Nan and Pap's was always exciting.
I remember when my Aunt Vic and Uncle Butch had their camper and they would park it at Nan and Pap's they would let us go and sleep it. I never will forget waking up in the morning and they would have some Corn Flakes and strawberry milk ready for breakfast.
Just sitting there eating food and watching cartoons, now that was the life lol. I always loved going to their house and opening Christmas presents and when Lewistown and Indian Valley would play against each other for Football, we would all go to their house and get some ham and popeye before heading out to see the game.
One of the things I learned about my Pap was that he served in the Military during the Korean War 🫡. Although he never wanted to talk about it. Another thing I learned as time when on was that he had a very rough heart condition. Of course I never really knew that till after the fact, but I was surprised to hear that because was so full of life and made me laugh so much. He always had a BIG Heart!
Unfortunately, the good times didn't last. April 25, 2000 will always be a day of sorrow for me. Me, Chad and Codeman had come home from school and my parents brought us in and set us down and they had explained to us that Pap had a heart attack and didn't make it.
I can't even imagine how bad my parents felt telling us this. I certainly wouldn't know what to do. I mean, how can you explain to a nine year old about how your Pap was gone and was never coming back?
I can never get the image of my Pap laying there in the coffin out of my head. Nor can I forget feeling how cold his body was when I kissed him goodbye on his forehead.
I was mostly scared for my Nan, who was now living by herself. I remember the funeral and seeing them give my Nan a US flag.
When we lost my Nan years later, the first thing I went for was the Flag that was draped over his coffin and then folded up and given to her. And to this day, I proudly display it in my room!
Speaking of which, this past Christmas, our cousin Nate had asked to bring a DVD which featured a home video that showcased our family history, well on the Parks side that is. Getting to see all of their faces when we were all watching it together really brought a smile to my face and a tear to my eye.
The point I am trying to make here is, appreciate it what you have, because it may not be there tomorrow. And I am forever grateful for the nearly ten years I had with my Pap.
I still miss him and Nan, it is never easy losing someone who you had gotten close to. But every time that I see a Cardinal, I think of them. It is like God is telling me that they are with me always.
If you guys don't mind, I would like to say a quick little poem. Roses are red, violets are blue, you maybe gone Nan and Pap, but I will always love you!
Until Next Time!
God Bless and Be Safe Everybody! 🙏🙏🙏
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