This page is dedicated to my dad, who passed away on December 2, 2004.

Dad collected knives, model cars, lighters, and Native American themed items, with his favorite being "The End of the Trail." My dad, was very proud of his Native American heritage, he told us many stories of our Cherokee ancestors.

He had served in the Army and was stationed in Greenland. If dad wasn't telling stories of Cherokee relatives, he was telling us Army stories.

Once he got a computer, one of dad's favorite past times was shopping on ebay. The day before he went into the hospital, dad found out that he had won an auction for a lighter.

My dad had lived in Ohio the majority of his life, but his heart was in West Virginia. He always talked about going home, and he did just that on December 2.

Dad had been hospitalized on November 24th with a spot of pneumonia. By that weekend there was talk of transferring him to Cleveland. After being admitted to M.I.C.U. at University Hospital, he began to deteriorate. He was sedated and placed on machines to help him breath. We had gotten a bit of good news and believed that he was getting better. Unfortunately that was not the case. The doctor told us that he had developed an adult lung disease that in a healthy person has a 50% chance of survival, my dad's chances were 5%. His immune system was not normal due to going through chemo for non-thyroid lymphoma 5yrs before. Mom had gotten a call from the doctor, he said that dad's kidneys were shutting down, traces of cancer had been found in the blood work, and that a decision had to be made. Though all of us were hoping that he would make a miraculous recovery, we knew that dad wasn't going to be coming home. Had dad lived, he would not have wanted to go through the chemo treatments again and we know he would have ended his life.

Knowing this didn't make losing him any easier. I am thankful that he got to spend so many years with his grandkids, and that they were able to hear some of the stories that we had heard many times.

Below is a piece that was written by my younger brother the night before dad's memorial service.

MY FATHER'S DREAM

IN MY FATHER'S DREAM I SAW HIM SITTING THERE ON A MOUNTAIN TOP IN WEST VIRGINIA LOOKING DOWN OVER EVERYTHING. A STRANGER COMES ALONG AND ASKED �MAY I SIT WITH YOU.� WITH A SMILE MY FATHER TELLS THE STRANGER OF COURSE. THE STRANGER ASKS �HIM WHAT ARE YOU LOOKING AT?� MY FATHER TELLS HIM �I AM LOOKING OVER ALL THE WONDERFUL THINGS I HAD IN MY LIFE.� THEN MY FATHER BEGINS TO TELL THE STRANGER, STORIES ABOUT PLACES HE HAS BEEN , FRIENDS HE HAS MET ALONG THE WAY, FUN TIMES THAT HE HAS HAD WITH HIS WIFE,KIDS & GRANDKIDS. AFTER AWHILE THE STRANGER TURNED TO MY FATHER AND SAID �THANK YOU FOR SHARING THOSE WONDERFUL STORIES WITH ME�. THEN THE STRANGER TOLD MY FATHER �I HAVE A MESSAGE FOR YOU, YOUR PARENTS WANTED ME TO COME AND TELL YOU THEY LOVE YOU AND MISS YOU AND THAT IT IS TIME TO COME HOME.� AS MY FATHER GOT UP HE LOOKED BACK DOWN THE MOUNTAIN THE STRANGER LAYED HIS HAND ON MY FATHER�S SHOULDER AND SAID �YOUR FAMILY IS GONNA BE OK BECAUSE THEY KNOW THAT YOU WILL ALWAYS BE IN THEIR HEARTS AND BE THERE TO WATCH OVER THEM.� THEN MY FATHER TURNED AND LOOKED BACK DOWN ON HIS FAMILY AND SMILED AND TOLD THEM �I LOVE YOU ALL VERY MUCH.� THEN MY FATHER TOLD THE STRANGER, � I'M READY FOR YOU TO TAKE ME HOME.�

WE ALL LOVE YOU DAD

Thank you for visiting. Have a beautiful day.