We had a very sad death in our family last week. My grandfather passed away after a battle with Alzheimer's disease. He started transitioning into the late stages of Alzheimer's less than a year ago and in December fell and broke his hip. He never walked after that. The fracture healed, but was such a huge mental setback that he was unable to recover. Last Wednesday, my mother drove him around in the car and he even asked to go a few places. That night he got very sick and began vomiting blood. He was taken to the hospital where he died the next day.

My mother was very young when I was born so I was raised by my grandparents. I called him 'Dad' my entire life. I have many lovely memories of him including sitting with my grandfather listening to his old records, playing with harmonicas, and sitting on the back of his pick-up while he sliced apples for me.

My grandfather was in his late 70s and in very good shape physically. He retired from the coal mines just a few years ago. Some of the things he enjoyed were riding his four wheeler, taking care of his cows and chickens, playing with the kids, fishing, collecting scrap metal, and mowing the grass on his riding lawn mower. He was also very frugal and loved to save his money. He was a veteran of the Korean War and had 3 children, 5 grand children, and 3 great-grand children.

We will all miss him terribly, but I know he is in a better place now and no longer suffering from the dementia that overtook him this past year.

Goodbye Dad.