My uncle died on oct 29th in the wee hours of the morning. Last night, I went to the funeral home with my husband to pay our respects, and to see my cousins. I met my aunts first husbands sister, and she had worked out that I had to be related, remembering me from when I was a little girl.

and I let her know, we had grown up with stories of my uncle Paul, even though he had died 50 years before- our mother had made sure that we knew what a wonderful man he had been , and how tragic his death had been.

My aunt told us, last night of what had happened the morning of my uncles death. She had gone back to her room for some rest when her daughter came, and said she needed to be there, and she took her over where my uncle was, and she leaned over and said "I love you" she said it again, a bit louder, saying I love you chuck" and he turned his head and opened his eyes and looked at her- really really looked at her, and he smiled. closed his eyes and then breathed his last.

and my aunt marvled at this because he had been under sedation, and alot of pain meds, and he hadnt opened his eyes for 3 days.

the gift though, that one moment, has helped my aunt. He was at peace, he had his family around him and he knew he was loved.

i leave, in a bit , to go to his funeral, he will be in good company, my dad is a few plots down, my friends grandfather is off to one side and there are other ww2 vets near by including a seebee

to everything there is a time and place and purpous. a time to reep, a time to sow a time to live, and a time to die.

in his passing, a great man has taken a final journey home.

he will be missed.