Another WW2 Vet has left us:

[Bearcarver]

Another WW2 Vet has left us:

Mrs Bear lost her Dad on Tuesday morning. He was 93 years old & had a long & happy life.
He served in the US Army, 2nd Ranger Battalion during WW2.
He is survived by 3 Children, 10 Grandchildren, 9 Great Grandchildren, and 1 Great Great Grandchild.

Some of you may remember Mrs Bear's older Brother died on the 18th hole last June 10, and now her Dad, a year & a week later is gone.
He lived with us for a year, after his second wife passed away, and then we moved him to Linda's younger brother's house, nearer to his old buddies. He lived there for about 6 years, and Mrs Bear had Friday Dinner with him every week. Then 4 months ago he went into the Home, and she had lunch with him 2 or 3 times a week. The last days he couldn't move & couldn't even lift his arm. Then the Morphine kept him sleeping nearly all day & night, and he and the rest of the family were ready for the end. So now he gets to join Linda's Mom who died about 40 years ago, and all of his old friends & fellow WW2 Vets who have gone before him. 
R.I.P "Pop-Pop"

Bear


A couple of Loyal Phillies Phans:----Pop-Pop & Swampy having a couple of Millers together:
http://s836.photobucket.com/user/Bearcarver_2009/media/DSC03203.jpg.html

__________________

 

[waywardswede]

I'm sorry to hear that, Bear, my condolences to you, Mrs. Bear and your entire family.  No matter how much you're ready for it it's always a difficult time.  Our thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

 

[dandl93]

Bear 

My regards and prayers to You and the Mrs.That was a great Generation of men and women.

Dan

 

[smokerjim]

my condolences to the bear family 

 

[sqwib]

Bear I am so Sorry for your loss.

From the photos he looks like he coulda been a hell raiser in his day.

Tell Linda you guys are in our prayers.

 

[venture]

What a great guy!

I salute him! 

And we have lost another great brother!

Best to you and yours Bear.  I know you are both very proud. 

And we should all be very proud of him and the life he led!

Good smoking and good smoking.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thank You David, Dan, Jim, SQWIB, and Merv!!

I'll give Mrs Bear your kind words & Thanks for the Prayers!!

You guys are Super!!

Bear

 

[loppy]

New to forum but my prayers go out to you

 

[seenred]

Sorry to hear this, John...all the best wishes from our family to yours. Please pass prayers along to Linda

Red

 

[noboundaries]

All my prayers and thoughts are with you all Bear. Men like him made us who we are today. My condolences.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thank You Loppy, Red, and Noboundaries!!

Services & Funeral today at 11 AM.

Mrs Bear doing pretty good.

Bear

 

[rlk438]

Sorry to hear my prayers are with your family

 

[hillbillyrkstr]

Sorry to hear that bear.

I just lost my grandma a few months ago and it was kinda the same deal. I went to the home to visit her on Sunday with my yellow lab Casey (figured the dog would cheer her up since she had been down for a while). She was happy to see us but she had taken a bad fall in the bathroom the day before and she said it really took a lot outta her but she seemed very much normal to me. I wish I had stayed longer that Sunday.

Few days later I got a call at work from my wife saying grandma wouldn't make it through the night. I was shocked. When I arrived at the home the nurse told me my grandmother told her she was going to die that day and then a few hours later took a turn for the worse. By the time I got there she was shot up with so much morphine she had no idea I was there.

She passed away that night after being shot up with morphine to keep her comfortable all day.

She was married to my grandfather, and then to another nice man after my grandfather died. Both WW2 vets, and both people I could look up to and admire. They don't make them like that anymore.

My grandma lived at her second husbands home for a few years after he passed, and then with my parents for a year or so but she had trouble getting around and fell quite a bit. We had to put her in the home as we couldn't take care of her anymore.

She was never the same after her second husband passed away. I brought her flowers every weekend she was at the home (just over a year) because she really loved flowers. She'd tell me how beautiful they were and how she was happy to get them every week. But truth is I knew she was just being nice. She was very sad and lonely and told me multiple times she thought God forgot about her. She was super catholic so it always surprised me when she said that. I'd always assure her God didn't forget about her but what else can you say....

I hated losing her and still miss visiting her every weekend. I still can't pass the flower section at grocery stores. But truth is I know she didn't want to be in that home. She's where she wanted to be now and as hard as it is to deal with losing her, that alone brings me peace.

Sorry for the long winded story bear. Guess my point is your father in law is in a better place now.

 

[chef willie]

Sorry for the loss John....regards to the family. It's never easy even when you know it's coming.....Willie

 

[Bearcarver]

Thank You Hillbilly, elk, and Willie.

I just got back at 3 PM from putting him in the ground. He had 6 good looking Grandsons (including my Son) as Pall Bearers---They ranged from 6' to 6' 8" in height.

They (Legion) blew Taps over him & presented the flag to Mrs Bear's older Sister. Got to see a lot of people we didn't see for a long time.

Yes, he is in a better place now, and probably there making a lot of old friends laugh!!

Bear

 

[humdinger]

My condolences to your family Bear. That was quite a full life he lived! Whenever folks live a long, full life, I always like hearing about the wonderful things they did and lives they impacted.

Like you said, he made it to 93, was a WW2 vet, had two wives, 3 Children, 10 Grandchildren, 9 Great Grandchildren, and 1 Great Great Grandchild. That's a lot to be proud of! And the idea of those 6 tall grandson pall bearers brought a tear to my eye. To be laid to rest by your grandsons like that - knowing that your lineage is intact and well represented - has got to be a proud moment, even if you are only there to see it in spirit. So cheers to "pop-pop"!

My dear great grandmother passed away January 2013. She made it all the way to 100 years old and 6 months! (What's even more amazing is that her mother (my great, great Gma) beat her by 6 months and made it to 101 years old back in 1994.) We did quite a few cheers to her that day!

I'm not much of a Miller guy, but that pic with Swampy inspired me to crack one for pop-pop next time I'm at 7-11. Even though it's sad they're gone, you gotta toast to the good times! I guess that's the "catch 22" huh......we understand they eventually have to go, but when you have a loved one who led such a wonderful life and had such a positive impact on so many people for so long, we want them to be around forever.

 

[geerock]

To Bear and Mrs Bear.... salute to a true hero. His service allows us to enjoy what we do. My condolences.

 

[Bearcarver]

Thank You Geerock & Kurt !!

He was quite the character & will be missed by an awful lot of people!!

Kurt----100 Years!!---Wow!

Nobody in my family gets that far, as I lost my Mom at 68, and my Dad 2 years later at 71. This was back in the 90s.

Thanks again all----I'll pass these on to Mrs Bear.

Bear

 

[GaryHibbert]

Hey John and Mrs Bear

So sorry to hear about your loss--it is never easy, even when you know it is coming

My Grampa made it to 99--he was trying for 100, but just couldn't hang on

Gary

 

[ak1]

John, I just saw this post. My sincerest condolences to the family. Sounds like he was a great guy. 

All my best, Darko