My In-Laws were married 37 years ago today

[RetroLounge]

and they would be celebrating their anniversarry if my F-I-L hadn't died from Leukemia 18 years ago... :cry:

Frank was a tall, skinny, long-haired, pot-smoking, sandal-wearing, cab-driving poet who did everything in his power to love his only child though he was deathly sick for many years, but he hung around until MrsRetro was an adult and finished high school and was ready for college before he couldn't hang around anymore. He succumbed to a coma caused by the chemo treatments and never woke up.

When I was dating MrsRetro, I drove 5 hours up north to the cemetary in Eau Claire, WI. where Frank is buried, and, even thought I don't necessarily believe in anything after death, I still found his grave, cleaned up the area around it, left some flowers, and asked him for permission to marry his daughter.

We've taken our kids to the grave also, so they can understand that they did have a 2nd grandfather. My son cried last time we went because he said it was not fair that he only gets to know one of his grandfathers and never got to go fishing with him or play ball or anything.

He is a man I wish I could have met...We would have gotten along well. We read one of his poems in our wedding ceremony. I have all his notebooks of poems, and all his books. I would have liked to have shared my writing with him, too.

So here's to you Frank. :toast:

You can be proud of your daughter; she turned out just fine, and you have 2 beautiful, wonderful grandkids who miss you also and wish they had known you. :hug:

Hope we meet someday on the other side.

RL

[RetroLounge]

1. ...

:kick:

RL

[grace0418]

2. Hugs to you RL. What a lovely tribute.

I never knew either of my grandfathers either, and always felt like I missed a lot.

:hug:

[Critters2]

3. Retro, this is beautiful

What a great husband, father, and son in law you are.

Here's to Frank, and to his family :toast: