Funeral Arrangements

Here are the funeral arrangements for dad:

The wake will be at Vander Plaat Funeral Home on Thursday, October 3rd, from 2-4PM and 7-9PM.

We'll be holding an open house/celebration at my folks' house on Saturday, October 5th, from 3-7PM.

Dad didn't believe in big church services for funerals; he just wanted people to have a good time.

Here's his obituary, if you're interested.

All Good Things...

On October 1st, 2013, over the night, dad passed away.

Thank you all for your wonderful words and support.

I'll be sure to post here when the funeral arrangements are set.

Death Smiles at Us All. All a Man Can Do is Smile Back

It's looking like dad's time on this planet is coming to a close. He hasn't woken up since he fell asleep on Saturday night. Hospice is here, and we're all making sure he's as comfortable as can be. We're making arrangements to have his brain donated to NICHD, which is what he wanted. Otherwise, we're just waiting for the inevitable. But, as Captain Kirk said:

How we deal with death is at least as important as how we deal with life, wouldn't you say?

Post title is a quote from "Gladiator", one of dad's favorite movies.

After All, Number One, We're Only Mortal

I posted this on Facebook a few days ago, but I figured I should post it here as well.

So, I guess it's time to go loud with this. My dad has been suffering from brain cancer for almost two years, but it seems like the cancer is going to win. It's glioblastoma, a particularly vicious cancer, but we thought dad had a better chance because we caught it very early. However, despite surgery, chemo, radiation, clinical trials, and even homeopathic remedies, the cancer still won.

I wanted to share this publicly because I know that I've been acting different lately, and people have begun to notice. Dad wanted to keep this quiet because that's the kind of guy he is. But I think at this point, it's worth letting everyone know.

Before anyone asks, I can say there's not much that anyone can do to help out. If you're near my folks, I'm sure they'd appreciate a visit. Other than that, please keep dad in your thoughts and (if you're religious) prayers.

Thank you to everyone who has been helping us out already; the level of support we've received has been wonderful.

Dad's been an incredible father to us all; we love you and will miss you, old man.

Post title is one of dad's favorite quotes from Star Trek.