Red Rocks

Red Rocks

Monday, January 19, 2009

Celebrating the life....


31 degrees and brilliant sun when we buried the old Dad today. They'd cleared a lot of snow so we had someplace to stand. Every step of this process went smoothly; the visitation at the funeral home on Sunday afternoon, the prayer vigil on Sunday night at St. John's, the funeral today at St. John's, and the burial at Rosehill Cemetery this morning.


The outpouring of sympathy from all our old friends and relatives, the neighbors, the parents of our high school friends, etc. was overwhelming- it helps so much to have someone to hang on to when you're feeling a little lost.


Some of my oldest friends- Hubie and Bob- made it to the funeral. My cousins Keith and Marcia and their spouses from the Altringer side were there. Incredible flashbacks to my youth when we would go to Spiritwood for Christmas, and a few Thanksgivings they came up to Minot.


5 days of bad sleep and too many decisions and trying to make things easier for my Mom, and I'm pretty much out of gas. I'm going back home tonight as the boys have to go back to school tomorrow, and I need to get back to work.

I miss you Daddy.

Love, Shorty

Friday, January 16, 2009

I miss the old man tonight....


I got to Minot late last night, but in time to help Mom, Sue, and Pat finalize Dad's obituary and make a few of the final decisions.


I just wanted to get a few things down when I haven't had time to analyze and reanalyze.


My Dad was a man of his generation: Speak softly and carry a big stick. He wasn't very good at showing emotion and the words were few and far between. He did really soften up as he got older, and the grandkids really pushed him to open up and show more of his big heart.


His was a kind and gentle soul. Always the defender of the underdog, the weak and the lame, he was not a man who coveted things or money. A "good enough" car and a "good enough" house were all you really needed. He was proud of soldiers and admired the military but was greatly bothered by war and the death and destruction that is so common.


He loved his Minnesota Twins and his Minnesota Vikings and was always able to say "there's always next year."


All the Towle's and many members of the extended Towle/Knudson clans will be here this weekend to help us celebrate a life. The funeral will be Monday morning, January 19th.


In the words of Steve Goodman:


"...no one ever knew a more charming creature on this earth than My Old Man."




Thursday, January 15, 2009

I got the news today....

I got the news today... My Father, Don, died this afternoon at his home in Minot. He was 82, and had been through a lot of health stuff lately. My mom was at the hospital (working) when the ambulance brought him in. I think he was probably ready to go- no nursing home, no long hospital stay, etc. but it still comes as a shock.

We spent some good family time together over Christmas, and watched his beloved Vikings lose to the Eagles on the Sunday after.