(Before I say anything more, there's this: to those who think I've been
sitting around just waiting for him to die so I can "get" something, screw
you.)

He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last couple
of days. His death was not unexpected, but it was so very difficult to see
him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self. Still, when we saw him two
days ago he squeezed Mom's hand tightly. And he gave me a little wave.
We'd gotten him a small stuffed animal (a bunny rabbit) and it was next to
him on the bed. The nurses said he wanted them to keep it there.

Mom is doing okay. She cried into her pillow when I woke her to break the
news. But she stopped. And she'll cry again. We both did, we both will.
It's a process.

Dad was a very strict (and not always fair, being all for the
gender-specific double standard) father. I suppose that could be said of
many of his generation, not to mention the military mind-set. I'm his only
daughter. I wasn't allowed to go to HS football games or school dances or
things like that. And Mom, bless her, thwarted his attempts at keeping me
sheltered me every chance she got. <S>

I never actually saw him until I was a year old; he was stationed in Okinawa
when I was born. But when he came home he brought me a little red stuffed
dog, which I named 'Woo Woo'. He asked me out of the blue about a year ago
if I still have it. Yes, I do. I brought it with me when I was here last
December. The "dog" he remembered. He didn't really know who I was.

There are rare moments, sides of him he didn't always let show, that I've
been reflecting upon. When they still lived in Memphis there was a little
girl who lived down the street from them. She was, perhaps, 10 or 11 years
old. She had leukemia. She was dying. She always said she wanted to go
fishing and Dad found out about it from her father. So Dad and a friend of
his took her fishing. I'll never forget her shining face as she walked up
the driveway when they got back; she was so excited. "I caught a fish!"
She died not long after that. He was able to bring a little joy into her
last days. For that, I'm grateful.

And about the bunny rabbit stuffed animal we took to him in the hospital...
When they lived in Memphis they had a low brick wall along the front porch,
with drainage holes in the bricks. A teeny tiny rabbit took up residence in
a hole inside those bricks. Mom and I were sneaking "rabbit food" (heheh,
lettuce, carrots, etc.) out to it. Dad had a wonderful garden in the back
yard and we were so afraid he'd try to somehow dispose of the baby bunny if
he knew it was there. One day I was looking at it out the front window and
he growled at me, "What the hell are you looking at all the time out there?"
I said, "Shhhh... come look." He muttered, "Better not be a cat!" "Shhhh,
just look!" He looked. And he MELTED. "Awwww, it's a baby bunny! Do we
have any lettuce?" <G> Yeah, he was a softy at heart.

He never let us have any pets when we were kids, except for parakeets. He
got me my first parakeet when I was 6, in Lakehurst NJ. So when I moved
back in with them briefly after my divorce and brought my little mutt dog
Sampson with me, he naturally put up a fuss. "If it craps in the yard you
have to clean it up!", stuff like that. Next thing I knew he was on the
floor playing with the dog and telling me off if I scolded him. He snuck
him bits of people food and didn't even fuss when Sammy hiked his leg on the
chives he'd planted out back. He cried when Sampson died at the age of
nearly 18.

He always said he hated cats. That changed as he got older. He used to
love getting photos of my cat, Persia, and drank coffee out of a mug with
her photo on it. Their neighbor here in SC has two black cats which he
enjoyed watching through the window. He claimed the cats sat out there
listening to the television. Maybe he was right

Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort National
Cemetery. He will have military honors and a simple graveside memorial
service; date and time still to be determined. (We made preliminary
arrangements last week.) His military commendations include a Silver Star
and a Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He served in
WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
everything you did for your country and for your family. May you have found
peace.

Jill

"jmcquown" > ha scritto nel messaggio >
> He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last
> couple of days. His death was not unexpected, but it was so very
> difficult to see him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self.

Sorry, Jill. It sounds like you've made the first steps toward surviving
this necessary part of our lives. Loving the truth instead of a mfantasy
person surely does help.

My best to your mother as well.

jmcquown wrote

> Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
> everything you did for your country and for your
> family. May you have found peace.
>
> Jill

Jill, my best condolences to you, now.
We'll all have to cross that step, now or then, you're crossing it,
what can I say? Words seem so empty when you cant' tell'em straigth to
the person yuo're talkin to...
Think about him and Sampson. Don't think the bad times, chose the good
ones.
Keep up, Jill
--
Vilco
Think pink, drink rose'

I am sorry to hear about your loss Jill. He had an impressive career in the
military. It is a shame that his last few months were spoiled by that terrible
illness and I know that it must have been terribly frustrating for the whole
family. I hope that you can all relax a little now and enjoy memories of
happier times.

In article >,
"jmcquown" > wrote:

> He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last couple
> of days. His death was not unexpected, but it was so very difficult to see
> him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self. Still, when we saw him two
> days ago he squeezed Mom's hand tightly. And he gave me a little wave.
> We'd gotten him a small stuffed animal (a bunny rabbit) and it was next to
> him on the bed. The nurses said he wanted them to keep it there.
>
> Mom is doing okay. She cried into her pillow when I woke her to break the
> news. But she stopped. And she'll cry again. We both did, we both will.
> It's a process.

Jill, I am sorry to hear of your dad's passing.

In article >,
"jmcquown" > wrote:
>
> He always said he hated cats. That changed as he got older. He used to
> love getting photos of my cat, Persia, and drank coffee out of a mug with
> her photo on it. Their neighbor here in SC has two black cats which he
> enjoyed watching through the window. He claimed the cats sat out there
> listening to the television. Maybe he was right
>
> Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort National
> Cemetery. He will have military honors and a simple graveside memorial
> service; date and time still to be determined. (We made preliminary
> arrangements last week.) His military commendations include a Silver Star
> and a Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He served in
> WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
> everything you did for your country and for your family. May you have found
> peace.

Hi Jill; Thanks for sharing the news of your father's passing. You and
your family have my condolences.

jmcquown wrote:
His death was not unexpected, but it was so very
> difficult to see him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self. His
> military
> commendations include a Silver Star and a Bronze Star, 2 Purple
> Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He served in WWII, Korea and
> Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
> everything you did for your country and for your family. May you
> have found peace.
> Jill

Thank you for sharing, Jill. It is a beautiful way to remember someone dear
to you. My condolences to you and your family on your loss.
Janet

jmcquown wrote:

>
> Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort National
> Cemetery. He will have military honors and a simple graveside memorial
> service; date and time still to be determined. (We made preliminary
> arrangements last week.) His military commendations include a Silver
> Star and a Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He
> served in WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired.
> Bless you for everything you did for your country and for your family.
> May you have found peace.

Very sad about this Jill. Please accept my condolences, my thoughts are
with you and your family.

--
Cheers
Chatty Cathy

Food is an important part of a balanced diet. - Fran Lebowitz

"jmcquown" > wrote in
:

> (Before I say anything more, there's this: to those who think I've
> been sitting around just waiting for him to die so I can "get"
> something, screw you.)
>

Sorry for your loss. That's a phrase used at times like this. It is suppose
to help with the grieving process. But years from now he'll still be with
you and you'll catch yourself saying things like dad woulda liked that or
such.

--

The house of the burning beet-Alan

It'll be a sunny day in August, when the Moon will shine that night-
Elbonian Folklore

In article >,
jmcquown > wrote:
>(Before I say anything more, there's this: to those who think I've been
>sitting around just waiting for him to die so I can "get" something, screw
>you.)
>
>He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last couple
>of days. His death was not unexpected, but it was so very difficult to see
>him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self. Still, when we saw him two
>days ago he squeezed Mom's hand tightly. And he gave me a little wave.
>We'd gotten him a small stuffed animal (a bunny rabbit) and it was next to
>him on the bed. The nurses said he wanted them to keep it there.
>
>Mom is doing okay. She cried into her pillow when I woke her to break the
>news. But she stopped. And she'll cry again. We both did, we both will.
>It's a process.
>
>Dad was a very strict (and not always fair, being all for the
>gender-specific double standard) father. I suppose that could be said of
>many of his generation, not to mention the military mind-set. I'm his only
>daughter. I wasn't allowed to go to HS football games or school dances or
>things like that. And Mom, bless her, thwarted his attempts at keeping me
>sheltered me every chance she got. <S>
>
>I never actually saw him until I was a year old; he was stationed in Okinawa
>when I was born. But when he came home he brought me a little red stuffed
>dog, which I named 'Woo Woo'. He asked me out of the blue about a year ago
>if I still have it. Yes, I do. I brought it with me when I was here last
>December. The "dog" he remembered. He didn't really know who I was.
>
>There are rare moments, sides of him he didn't always let show, that I've
>been reflecting upon. When they still lived in Memphis there was a little
>girl who lived down the street from them. She was, perhaps, 10 or 11 years
>old. She had leukemia. She was dying. She always said she wanted to go
>fishing and Dad found out about it from her father. So Dad and a friend of
>his took her fishing. I'll never forget her shining face as she walked up
>the driveway when they got back; she was so excited. "I caught a fish!"
>She died not long after that. He was able to bring a little joy into her
>last days. For that, I'm grateful.
>
>And about the bunny rabbit stuffed animal we took to him in the hospital...
>When they lived in Memphis they had a low brick wall along the front porch,
>with drainage holes in the bricks. A teeny tiny rabbit took up residence in
>a hole inside those bricks. Mom and I were sneaking "rabbit food" (heheh,
>lettuce, carrots, etc.) out to it. Dad had a wonderful garden in the back
>yard and we were so afraid he'd try to somehow dispose of the baby bunny if
>he knew it was there. One day I was looking at it out the front window and
>he growled at me, "What the hell are you looking at all the time out there?"
>I said, "Shhhh... come look." He muttered, "Better not be a cat!" "Shhhh,
>just look!" He looked. And he MELTED. "Awwww, it's a baby bunny! Do we
>have any lettuce?" <G> Yeah, he was a softy at heart.
>
>He never let us have any pets when we were kids, except for parakeets. He
>got me my first parakeet when I was 6, in Lakehurst NJ. So when I moved
>back in with them briefly after my divorce and brought my little mutt dog
>Sampson with me, he naturally put up a fuss. "If it craps in the yard you
>have to clean it up!", stuff like that. Next thing I knew he was on the
>floor playing with the dog and telling me off if I scolded him. He snuck
>him bits of people food and didn't even fuss when Sammy hiked his leg on the
>chives he'd planted out back. He cried when Sampson died at the age of
>nearly 18.
>
>He always said he hated cats. That changed as he got older. He used to
>love getting photos of my cat, Persia, and drank coffee out of a mug with
>her photo on it. Their neighbor here in SC has two black cats which he
>enjoyed watching through the window. He claimed the cats sat out there
>listening to the television. Maybe he was right
>
>Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort National
>Cemetery. He will have military honors and a simple graveside memorial
>service; date and time still to be determined. (We made preliminary
>arrangements last week.) His military commendations include a Silver Star
>and a Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He served in
>WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
>everything you did for your country and for your family. May you have found
>peace.

What a beautiful tribute, Jill.

My deepest sympathies to you and your mother on your loss.

Charlotte
--

On Sun, 2 Mar 2008 07:35:37 -0500, "jmcquown" >
wrote:

>
>He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last couple
>of days. His death was not unexpected, but it was so very difficult to see
>him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self. Still, when we saw him two
>days ago he squeezed Mom's hand tightly. And he gave me a little wave.
>We'd gotten him a small stuffed animal (a bunny rabbit) and it was next to
>him on the bed. The nurses said he wanted them to keep it there.
>
>Mom is doing okay. She cried into her pillow when I woke her to break the
>news. But she stopped. And she'll cry again. We both did, we both will.
>It's a process.

My condolences, Jill. It's hard, no matter how well prepared you are.

<hugs>

--
See return address to reply by email
remove the smile first

Oh, Jill, I'm so sorry for your loss. You have my sincerest
condolences and good wishes, and my appreciation for being there for
your family when they needed you.

Serene

I'm so sorry, Jill.

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
. ..
>His military commendations include a Silver Star and a Bronze Star, 2
>Purple Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He served in WWII, Korea and
>Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for everything you
>did for your country and for your family. May you have found peace.

He was a true hero. I'm sorry for your loss.

"jmcquown" wrote:
>
> Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort
> National Cemetery. �He will have military honors and a simple
> graveside memorial service; date and time still to be determined.

Jill, your dad was a great human being.
Please accept my condolences.

Sheldon

Jill - so sorry for your loss. You have written a wonderful tribute to
you father. Thank you for sharing some of your memories.

--
Queenie

*** Be the change you wish to see in the world ***

"jmcquown" schrieb :
<snip>
> Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort National
> Cemetery. He will have military honors and a simple graveside memorial
> service; date and time still to be determined. (We made preliminary
> arrangements last week.) His military commendations include a Silver Star and
> a Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He served in WWII,
> Korea and Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
> everything you did for your country and for your family. May you have found
> peace.
>
My sincere condolences, Jill.
May he rest in peace.

Michael Kuettner

Sorry to hear this Jill but it was lovely reading how you remembered him.

On Sun, 2 Mar 2008 07:35:37 -0500, "jmcquown" >
wrote:
>
>He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last couple
>of days. His death was not unexpected, but it was so very difficult to see
>him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self. Still, when we saw him two
>days ago he squeezed Mom's hand tightly. And he gave me a little wave.
>We'd gotten him a small stuffed animal (a bunny rabbit) and it was next to
>him on the bed. The nurses said he wanted them to keep it there.
>
>Mom is doing okay. She cried into her pillow when I woke her to break the
>news. But she stopped. And she'll cry again. We both did, we both will.
>It's a process.


Condolences to you and your family, Jill.

Boron

On Sun, 2 Mar 2008 07:35:37 -0500, "jmcquown" >
fired up random neurons and synapses to opine:

<snip loving tribute>

> He served in
>WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired.

You and I have much in common, Jill. My father died of lung cancer
(heavy smoker since he was 16), but he served in WWII, Korea and
Vietnam, as well. West Point graduate, Army Air Corps, then USAF, 30
year career, and his personality seemed akin to your father's. Hard
men who lived through hard times.

> Bless you for
>everything you did for your country and for your family. May you have found
>peace.

Amen, my dear, amen. And for you, too, and I think you know what I
mean.

Heartfelt condolences,
Terry "Squeaks" Pulliam Burd
--
"If the soup had been as hot as the claret, if the claret had been as
old as the bird, and if the bird's breasts had been as full as the
waitress's, it would have been a very good dinner."

-- Duncan Hines

To reply, replace "meatloaf" with "cox"

Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
> everything you did for your country and for your family. May you have
> found peace.

To you, who had him as a father, and to he, who had you as a daughter my
prayers. Condolences and healing thoughts to you and your family as this
time goes on.

Cindi

>
> Jill

My sincere condolences, Jill.
Thank you for sharing your memories with us in that beautiful tribute
to him.

I'm keeping you and your mom in my prayers.

koko
---
http://www.kokoscorner.typepad.com
updated 2/24
"There is no love more sincere than the love of food"
George Bernard Shaw

One time on Usenet, "jmcquown" > said:

<snip>

You have my sincerest sympathies, Jill... :-(

--
Jani in WA

jmcquown wrote:
> (Before I say anything more, there's this: to those who think I've
> been sitting around just waiting for him to die so I can "get"
> something, screw you.)
>
> He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last
> couple of days. His death was not unexpected, but it was so very
> difficult to see him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self. Still,
> when we saw him two days ago he squeezed Mom's hand tightly. And he gave
> me a little wave. We'd gotten him a small stuffed animal
> (a bunny rabbit) and it was next to him on the bed. The nurses said
> he wanted them to keep it there.
> Mom is doing okay. She cried into her pillow when I woke her to
> break the news. But she stopped. And she'll cry again. We both
> did, we both will. It's a process.
>
> Dad was a very strict (and not always fair, being all for the
> gender-specific double standard) father. I suppose that could be
> said of many of his generation, not to mention the military mind-set.
> I'm his only daughter. I wasn't allowed to go to HS football games
> or school dances or things like that. And Mom, bless her, thwarted
> his attempts at keeping me sheltered me every chance she got. <S>
>
> I never actually saw him until I was a year old; he was stationed in
> Okinawa when I was born. But when he came home he brought me a
> little red stuffed dog, which I named 'Woo Woo'. He asked me out of
> the blue about a year ago if I still have it. Yes, I do. I brought
> it with me when I was here last December. The "dog" he remembered. He
> didn't really know who I was.
> There are rare moments, sides of him he didn't always let show, that
> I've been reflecting upon. When they still lived in Memphis there
> was a little girl who lived down the street from them. She was,
> perhaps, 10 or 11 years old. She had leukemia. She was dying. She
> always said she wanted to go fishing and Dad found out about it from
> her father. So Dad and a friend of his took her fishing. I'll never
> forget her shining face as she walked up the driveway when they got
> back; she was so excited. "I caught a fish!" She died not long after
> that. He was able to bring a little joy into her last days. For
> that, I'm grateful.
> And about the bunny rabbit stuffed animal we took to him in the
> hospital... When they lived in Memphis they had a low brick wall
> along the front porch, with drainage holes in the bricks. A teeny
> tiny rabbit took up residence in a hole inside those bricks. Mom and
> I were sneaking "rabbit food" (heheh, lettuce, carrots, etc.) out to
> it. Dad had a wonderful garden in the back yard and we were so
> afraid he'd try to somehow dispose of the baby bunny if he knew it
> was there. One day I was looking at it out the front window and he
> growled at me, "What the hell are you looking at all the time out
> there?" I said, "Shhhh... come look." He muttered, "Better not be a
> cat!" "Shhhh, just look!" He looked. And he MELTED. "Awwww, it's
> a baby bunny! Do we have any lettuce?" <G> Yeah, he was a softy at
> heart.
> He never let us have any pets when we were kids, except for
> parakeets. He got me my first parakeet when I was 6, in Lakehurst
> NJ. So when I moved back in with them briefly after my divorce and
> brought my little mutt dog Sampson with me, he naturally put up a
> fuss. "If it craps in the yard you have to clean it up!", stuff like
> that. Next thing I knew he was on the floor playing with the dog and
> telling me off if I scolded him. He snuck him bits of people food
> and didn't even fuss when Sammy hiked his leg on the chives he'd
> planted out back. He cried when Sampson died at the age of nearly 18.
>
> He always said he hated cats. That changed as he got older. He used
> to love getting photos of my cat, Persia, and drank coffee out of a
> mug with her photo on it. Their neighbor here in SC has two black
> cats which he enjoyed watching through the window. He claimed the
> cats sat out there listening to the television. Maybe he was right
>
> Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort
> National Cemetery. He will have military honors and a simple
> graveside memorial service; date and time still to be determined. (We made
> preliminary arrangements last week.) His military
> commendations include a Silver Star and a Bronze Star, 2 Purple
> Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He served in WWII, Korea and
> Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
> everything you did for your country and for your family. May you
> have found peace.

Thank you for sharing Jill. God Bless you and your Mum

hugssss

O

That was a a truly heart-warming tribute to your father and to an
outstanding Marine. My best wishes to you and your Mom.

Felice

In article >,
"jmcquown" > wrote:

> Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort National
> Cemetery. He will have military honors and a simple graveside memorial
> service; date and time still to be determined. (We made preliminary
> arrangements last week.) His military commendations include a Silver Star
> and a Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He served in
> WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
> everything you did for your country and for your family. May you have found
> peace.

Oh, Jill. I'm so very sorry for your loss. Thank you for sharing your
memories of your father.

Miche

--
Electricians do it in three phases

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
. ..

> He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last
> couple of days. His death was not unexpected, but it was so very
> difficult to see him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self. Still,
> when we saw him two days ago he squeezed Mom's hand tightly. And he gave
> me a little wave. We'd gotten him a small stuffed animal (a bunny rabbit)
> and it was next to him on the bed. The nurses said he wanted them to keep
> it there.
<snip>

Sorry to hear that.

jmcquown wrote:

>
> He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last couple
> of days. His death was not unexpected, but it was so very difficult to see
> him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self.

I'm sorry, Jill. That was a lovely remembrance. My condolences to
you and your family.

pat

Jill:

You hand your family have my sympathy. No matter how
prepared you think you are for the death of a seriously ill
loved one, you are never ready enough.

Don't expect your grief to follow a timeline. Go with the
flow and ignore what other people tell you (including me, I
guess.).

Hugs,

gloria p

I am sorry for your loss.

jmcquown wrote:

> Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort National
> Cemetery. He will have military honors and a simple graveside memorial
> service; date and time still to be determined. (We made preliminary
> arrangements last week.) His military commendations include a Silver Star
> and a Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He served in
> WWII, Korea and Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
> everything you did for your country and for your family. May you have found
> peace.

http://blinkynet.net/wwii/ggenariz.html

--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
Blinky: http://blinkynet.net

With closure, your healing can begin now, Jill. This is good. Best
wishes.


--
Blinky
Killing all posts from Google Groups
The Usenet Improvement Project: http://improve-usenet.org
Blinky: http://blinkynet.net

Jill, my sympathies, and what you wrote is quite moving.

(Two purple hearts, that really is something.)

Steve

On Sun 02 Mar 2008 05:35:37a, jmcquown told us...

> He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last
> couple of days. His death was not unexpected, but it was so very
> difficult to see him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self. Still,
> when we saw him two days ago he squeezed Mom's hand tightly. And he
> gave me a little wave. We'd gotten him a small stuffed animal (a bunny
> rabbit) and it was next to him on the bed. The nurses said he wanted
> them to keep it there.
>

Dear Jill,

I'm so very sorry for your loss. Even when expected, it still shocks us
and hurts terribly. I have lost both parents and I think I understand
exactly how and what you're feeling.

You wrote a very beautiful picture of your dad, that revealed many aspects
of his personality.

You and your family have my thoughts, sympathy, and prayers at this
dificult time.

Sincerely...

--
Wayne Boatwright
-------------------------------------------
Sunday, 03(III)/02(II)/08(MMVIII)
-------------------------------------------
Countdown till Memorial Day
12wks 9hrs 50mins
-------------------------------------------
The 'poor cat in the rain' look.It
never fails.
-------------------------------------------

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
. ..

Wow, he was quite a guy.
My condolences.

On Mar 2, 5:35�am, "jmcquown" > wrote:
> (Before I say anything more, there's this: �to those who think I've been
> sitting around just waiting for him to die so I can "get" something, screw
> you.)
>
> He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last couple
> of days. �His death was not unexpected, but it was so very difficult to see
> him as mere shadow of his former vigorous self. �Still, when we saw him two
> days ago he squeezed Mom's hand tightly. �And he gave me a little wave.
> We'd gotten him a small stuffed animal (a bunny rabbit) and it was next to
> him on the bed. �The nurses said he wanted them to keep it there.
>
> Mom is doing okay. �She cried into her pillow when I woke her to break the
> news. �But she stopped. �And she'll cry again. �We both did, we both will.
> It's a process.
>
> Dad was a very strict (and not always fair, being all for the
> gender-specific double standard) father. �I suppose that could be said of
> many of his generation, not to mention the military mind-set. �I'm his only
> daughter. �I wasn't allowed to go to HS football games or school dances or
> things like that. �And Mom, bless her, thwarted his attempts at keeping me
> sheltered me every chance she got. <S>
>
> I never actually saw him until I was a year old; he was stationed in Okinawa
> when I was born. �But when he came home he brought me a little red stuffed
> dog, which I named 'Woo Woo'. �He asked me out of the blue about a year ago
> if I still have it. �Yes, I do. �I brought it with me when I was here last
> December. �The "dog" he remembered. �He didn't really know who I was.
>
> There are rare moments, sides of him he didn't always let show, that I've
> been reflecting upon. �When they still lived in Memphis there was a little
> girl who lived down the street from them. �She was, perhaps, 10 or 11 years
> old. �She had leukemia. �She was dying. �She always said she wanted to go
> fishing and Dad found out about it from her father. �So Dad and a friend of
> his took her fishing. �I'll never forget her shining face as she walked up
> the driveway when they got back; she was so excited. �"I caught a fish!"
> She died not long after that. �He was able to bring a little joy into her
> last days. �For that, I'm grateful.
>
> And about the bunny rabbit stuffed animal we took to him in the hospital....
> When they lived in Memphis they had a low brick wall along the front porch,
> with drainage holes in the bricks. �A teeny tiny rabbit took up residence in
> a hole inside those bricks. �Mom and I were sneaking "rabbit food" (heheh,
> lettuce, carrots, etc.) out to it. �Dad had a wonderful garden in the back
> yard and we were so afraid he'd try to somehow dispose of the baby bunny if
> he knew it was there. �One day I was looking at it out the front window and
> he growled at me, "What the hell are you looking at all the time out there?"
> I said, "Shhhh... come look." �He muttered, "Better not be a cat!" �"Shhhh,
> just look!" �He looked. �And he MELTED. �"Awwww, it's a baby bunny! �Do we
> have any lettuce?" �<G> �Yeah, he was a softy at heart.
>
> He never let us have any pets when we were kids, except for parakeets. �He
> got me my first parakeet when I was 6, in Lakehurst NJ. �So when I moved
> back in with them briefly after my divorce and brought my little mutt dog
> Sampson with me, he naturally put up a fuss. �"If it craps in the yard you
> have to clean it up!", stuff like that. �Next thing I knew he was on the
> floor playing with the dog and telling me off if I scolded him. �He snuck
> him bits of people food and didn't even fuss when Sammy hiked his leg on the
> chives he'd planted out back. �He cried when Sampson died at the age of
> nearly 18.
>
> He always said he hated cats. �That changed as he got older. �He used to
> love getting photos of my cat, Persia, and drank coffee out of a mug with
> her photo on it. �Their neighbor here in SC has two black cats which he
> enjoyed watching through the window. �He claimed the cats sat out there
> listening to the television. �Maybe he was right
>
> Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort National
> Cemetery. �He will have military honors and a simple graveside memorial
> service; date and time still to be determined. �(We made preliminary
> arrangements last week.) �His military commendations include a Silver Star
> and a Bronze Star, 2 Purple Hearts and the Legion of Merit. �He served in
> WWII, Korea and Vietnam. �Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. �Bless you for
> everything you did for your country and for your family. �May you have found
> peace.
>
> Jill

I enjoyed reading these tender memories of your Father. My thoughts
and prayers are with you and your family.
Vickie

jmcquown wrote:


> He'd been under hospice care with comfort measures only for the last
couple
> of days.

[...]


My condolences, Jill...kind wishes for you and yours.

:-)

--
Best
Greg

My condolences, Jill.

Victor

Oh, Jill. That's overwhelming. I'm so sorry.
--Lia

jmcquown wrote:

> Dad will be cremated and his cremains interred at the Beaufort
> National Cemetery. He will have military honors and a simple
> graveside memorial service; date and time still to be determined. (We made
> preliminary arrangements last week.) His military
> commendations include a Silver Star and a Bronze Star, 2 Purple
> Hearts and the Legion of Merit. He served in WWII, Korea and
> Vietnam. Colonel Max McQuown, USMC Retired. Bless you for
> everything you did for your country and for your family. May you
> have found peace.

My condolences to you and your family, Jill. My thanks for the service your
father provided to this Nation.
--
Dave
www.davebbq.com