Dad

My father being the ever good Catholic passed away during holy week.
He left us late yesterday afternoon.
The fact that it is holy week did not get lost on his daughters.
My nephew first made this observation.
We of course laughed and said, boy that is perfect for George.
You see my father was a devout Catholic. His 5 daughters are not.
Or as I called it, Crazy Catholic. If the pope told him to put on his Nikes and drink the Kool-Aid he would have done so.

My father watched EWTN before dementia. ALL. THE. TIME.
When he visited me I told him we didn't get that channel.
Yes, I am going to hell for that. But honestly, Rick and I just couldn't have that channel on a loop.

Because it is holy week in the Catholic church he can't have his funeral and mass this week.
So Wednesday I am heading up north again. 
The viewing is Thursday and the funeral is Friday.
Making it impossible for Rick to attend but we are working on that!

I know to some it may sound awful but I am glad dad is no longer suffering.
Besides, I know he is with his partner in crime, his brother and best friend, Angelo. Those 2 were not often apart. They spoke almost daily and spent every weekend together. Many days after work dad would swing by Uncle Angelo's house before coming home. They had such a connection.

Here are a few photos of my Dad.

Growing up Dad was never without a cigar.

If I smell a cigar today I think of him.

I recall when my youngest sister Jen was born. I would pick her up from her cradle and her little head would smell like a fat stogie. We would whine, "Daaad."  When we told him she smelled like his cigar he would just laugh. 

I'd love to know the year here, but he's already got a stogie and I believe he is in his 20's here and not yet married.

Dad and me here. Me and my bald head. Dad was 28 when I was born so you can do the math. I don't think I'm a year here. 

But hey, he is holding me without a cigar here. 

This is how I will remember him. Chubby and with a cigar at my Uncle Ange's home. Dad was thin, heavy, thin again. But to me, he will always be this guy below. Smiling, chubby and with a cigar in his mouth. 

That is the man who raised me. This is the man who cheated when he played cards, checkers, and jacks with me. He gave me my work ethic. This is the man who made me be gregarious and speak to everyone when entering a room. (oh brother! and an eye roll is what I said for 18 yrs) This is also the man who said a woman's profession is either a nun or a married woman with children. This is a man whose ideas were so outdated and he had nothing but daughters who challenged his thinking every second of every day! This is the man who at any holiday would be so excited when all his girls were in one place, his home. 

This is Easter at my Uncle Angelo's again. Yes, if he didn't have a cigar it was a bottle of bourbon. Only my father would take a photo like this. I'm the dork in the blue headband and I just turned 9 by this point.

Another photo, another cigar. That bowling shirt would have made the TV character Charlie from Two and a Half Men very proud! 

(I'm guessing I'm all of 11 or maybe12 here since mom was alive in the photo)

 This photo of Dad and his brother Angelo is how they were all the time. 

Dad bursting in song and Ange just laughing at him. Uncle Ange is the older brother as you can tell by Dad, the baby's, behavior. He was the youngest of 9.

 This is my fathers first truck after getting his master plumbers license. He started his own business and had his own business for many years. 

Commercial and Industrial plumbing. He looks so young here, but again he is holding a cigar in his left hand.

 Dad at his 80th birthday party with my youngest sister Jennifer.

 This was dad last February (2018) on his 90th birthday.

R.I.P Dad. 1928-2019 💓💗