Five years ago (this week, 3 days ago to be exact) my father-in-law passed away. He had a sudden heart attack and collapsed to the ground when he was walking back to the car after getting the mail. It was believed that he was dead before he hit the ground, which in a way is a relief, because his wrist was broken when he hit the ground.

I will never forget the day he died. It was June 24, 2004. My brother-in-law H called when we were about to pay bills. I remember my husband saying what and repeatedly saying no way. He then told me that his father had died of a heart attack. I was shocked to say the least. He went and told his work what happened and I had one hour to pack clothes for four people and for us to get on the road.

We stayed with my brother and sister-in-law A and B, but of course, we spent most of our time with my mother-in-law. We tried to do all we can to lighten the load for her while we were there for that week. Thankfully, he was able to be buried in a veteran’s ceremony which helped lighten the load for my mother-in-law and also one of my brother-in-laws helped pay for what was not covered because my father-in-law was a veteran.

A lot of people came to his viewing. People he used to work with, family, and friends. He looked so peaceful, almost like he was sleeping. He really did look he was sleeping and that he would would wake up when he was done sleeping, even though I knew better.

The day of his funeral it rained, especially after we got to Grand Prairie for his service. Therefore, we could not have the service graveside. It was a nice but short service and was a perfect way to honor my father-in-law. Taps was played, and my mother-in-law was given a folded up American flag. My sister-in-law M had written a poem about my father-in-law and she read it.

We then went to her house for dinner. It was a good brisket dinner and there was a lot of people there. After the dinner and the house had cleared out, we went back to my mother-in-laws house. It was a sad time, but we pulled together as a family and did the best we could.

It is now five years and three days later. He has not been forgotten and never will. I called my mother-in-law on that day to tell her that I remembered what day it is and that he would never be forgotten. She later told my husband that she was glad that I called that day and that she cried that day also.

Being that he died only about a year and a half after my husband and I got married, I did not get to know him very well. I will never forget one conversation we had about a movie. He knew every fact about that movie from the director to everything about every actor and actress that was in it. Though I did not get to know him well, I am very grateful to him for my husband because if it were not for him (and my mother-in-law of course), he would not be here today and we would have never met and 3 and 1/2 years later, got married. Hannah would not be here also.

Thank you father-in-law, thank you for everything. Thank you for my husband and for the man he is today. You will always be loved and missed and never forgotten.