Andre' Edward Volini

February 8, 1922 ~ April 22, 2002

To know the will of God is the greatest knowledge,
to find the will of God is the greatest discovery,
and to do the will of God is the greatest achievement.

If anyone serves Me, he must continue to follow Me,

to cleave steadfastly to Me, conform wholly to My example in living...

and wherever I am, there will My servant be also.

If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.

John 12:26

 
~ Papa ~
This page is in memory of my Papa, Andre' Edward Volini. 
He was born in Benton Harbor, MI of immigrant Italian parents on February 8, 1922.  He had 4 sisters and 2 brothers (one was a half brother).  When he was still young they moved to the suburbs of Chicago and there he lived for 20 years.  He was the youngest of the brothers and in an Italian family that means he was destined for the priesthood.  He was in the seminary when WWII broke out.  He immediately volunteered for the Navy and was sent to the Pacific.  While in the seminary he was going to college to become a doctor and this earmarked him for the medical corp.  He was a medic with Carlson's Raiders.  They were an elite group of Marines that went in first and medics didn't last very long with them!  Somehow they lost his papers and he ended up spending his whole tour of duty with them - 4 years! Papa said he was the best foxhole digger in the unit! 
When he returned to the States at the end of the war he met my Mother in San Francisco.  She was in the Navy too, as a WAC in the dental department.  They met when she cleaned his teeth.  Not the most romantic beginning, but they fell in love and married 2 weeks before they were discharged.
Mom worked so that Papa could go back to school and he also worked nights in a gas station to help.  Then along came me!  In those days as soon as someone found out you were pregnant, you were put on maternity leave, but Mom managed to work until her sixth month before anyone found out.  After that she had to quit and they couldn't make it on Papa's part-time salary alone so he quit school and got a full-time job.  Papa always wanted to be a doctor and it was the greatest sadness of his life that he never was able to go back and finish.  But his family came first, then as ever.  He went into the business world and became a finance manager for several large companies.
Along came Korea and he volunteered for that as well.  And after he came back he was in the reserves.  He served his country in every way he could and with distinction.
When I was growing up we moved around a lot because of his job.  He worked for Westinghouse and Firestone among others.  When they had a store or plant that was in trouble he went in and fixed it. It was hard to keep leaving friends, but now that I look back on it, I had the best education a kid could ask for.  I learned to take care of myself, I experienced different lifestyles and different people and saw a lot of this country first hand.  I wouldn't trade it for anything!
When Papa was in his mid 40s he came home with a bad pain in his side one day.  It turned out to be cancer in his kidney.  Luckily it was a cancer that completely enveloped the kidney and they were able to cure him by taking out the whole kidney.  He recovered fast and was back to work in a matter of weeks. 
Two years later I got married and moved out of the nest.  They decided that since they were all alone now it was time for a change.  Papa retired from business and they got a job as domestics.  They had a chance to live in elegant homes, travel with style and get good pay while they were doing it!  I was living with my 1st husband in Europe during this time.  They worked for a lot of famous people and were working for a man in Jupiter, Florida when I got divorced and moved back to the States with them.  A few months later they were offered a good job working for Mac Davis in BelAir, California. After working there for a year or so Papa had a stroke.  Again he was lucky.  Most people who are right handed suffer the worst from a stroke,  Since he was left handed, he recovered almost 100%.  The only real problem he had was that sometimes he would have to search for the word he wanted to use.  Unfortunately, it took him a number of months to recover and since he couldn't work my parents retired.  They wanted to move back to Florida where I was still living so I flew out to California and shared driving back with Mom. 

Mom had several jobs and Papa took care of the house.  For the next 20 years Papa's health deteriorate.  He had heart problems and was in and out of the hospital.  The diagnoses was congestive heart failure.  Then the cancer came back long after he should have been safe from it.  It ended up they had to remove 3/4 of his remaining kidney.  He had his gallbladder out, had prostrate problems and breathing problems due the his heart condition.

Through it all he kept cheerful and everyone he came in contact with loved him.  Meanwhile I married again and since my husbands Father had died when he was very young Dean "adopted" my Papa as his.  They truly loved each other.
Then in 1999 Dean was offered a job in West Virginia.  We struggled with the decision to go or not.  I could see Dean really wanted to go and I fell in love with the area when  we went up to have a look around.  Leaving my parents and Dean's Mom and new Step-Dad was the hardest thing we ever had to do, but the job opportunity was too good to turn down.  We immediately started campaigning to get them to move up there with us.
One year later both sets of parents moved and we had the best Christmas ever in 2001.  As it turned out it was Papa's last one.
His health continued to deteriorate and on top of everything else he started showing signs of Alzheimer's.  He had been forgetting simple things and losing his concentration on small tasks for the last year or so, but the doctor said it was senility.  Now we know the truth.  Doctors just don't like to diagnoses Alzheimer's.
My parents moved up here in June, 2001 and Papa was in the VA Hospital several times for a week here and a week there.  He got out just before Christmas and I'm so thankful we had that special time together.  In January, 2002 he went back in the hospital and got worse and worse.  It got so Mom wouldn't be able to take care of him if he came home.  He was so weak and was prone to falling down so eventually we had to put him in the VA nursing home.  I wanted them to move in with Dean and I, but Papa's health was so bad by this time that he needed around the clock medical care.  I must say the the people in West Virginia are the nicest, most caring people I have ever run into.  The nurses gave so much of themselves and went way beyond what they had to do.  I am glad Papa spent the last year of his life here. In the end he didn't recognize me most of the time, but he always knew Mom, his Mary Beth.  The nurses said he would say she was working in the hospital and was convinced she was a nurse there.  Earlier, in what was to be Papa's last week, Dean brought our dog Twoie to visit him.  Papa loved that dog and the feeling was mutual.  Twoie spent the whole time in Papa's lap and didn't want to leave him.  I think she could sense something.  I'm so glad they had that chance to see each other one last time and say their goodbyes.

Saturday, April 20, we were there with him all afternoon and he was sitting up in a chair talking to us.  A lot of what he was saying was hard to understand, but he seemed happy and at peace.  He kept pointing at and talking to something on the wall.  I wonder if he was seeing Angels? 

At least he wasn't in pain.

Sunday at 7:30am we got a call that he was worse and that we should come in early.  We rushed there and he was in bed, in and out of consciousness.  When he opened his eyes he'd squeeze our hands and his eyes were clear and he knew us.  We were there until 11pm.
Monday we got another call that we should come in early again since he was slipping.  We were there by 8am and he was unconscious and never came out of it.  At 10am he took a deep breath and never took another one.  His passing was peaceful at least.
I am writing this one week later.  He is sorely missed by all.

I wish I could look into his eyes and tell him

I love him just one more time.

He is in a better place with his loved ones that went on before.

He is no longer confused and sick.
I loved my Papa and always will
Till we meet again....
April 28, 2002
 
 
I always was my Papa's little princess, a Daddy's girl.  I could get away with things with him that Mom never would let me do. 

He taught me how to ride a bike, drive a car and gave me my values in life.  He taught me to love the Lord and to be kind to others.

He gave me my lifelong love of animals.  We always had a pet or two (or three!) in the house.  He never had a pet growing up, not with 7 kids to feed and care for.  His parents were hard working simple people that had all they could manage to provide for the kids.  There never was enough left over for a pet. 

I guess that's why he always wanted pets around when he got a home of his own.  I was always bringing home any stray that I could convince to follow me.  At any given time we had birds, cats, dogs and hamsters.  No matter what I brought home, Papa never said no. 

He encouraged me to become "all that I could be".  He was always there for me and when I made a mistake he never made me feel stupid.  He always showed me how to learn from my mistakes and pick myself up and go on.
He was a shoulder to cry on and strong arms to hold me.
I feel such an empty place in my life now. 

My Mother is an equally wonderful woman and I thank God I have her still.  The older I get the closer Mom and I are.  She is still going strong at 81.
 
 

LETTER FROM HEAVEN

To my dearest family, some things I'd like to say.

But first of all, to let you know, that I arrived okay.

I'm writing this from heaven. Here I dwell with God above.

Here, there's no more tears of sadness; Just God's eternal love.

Please do not be unhappy just because I'm out of sight.

Remember that I am with you every morning, noon and night.

That day I had to leave you when my life on earth was through.

God picked me up and hugged me and He said, "I welcome you.

It's good to have you back again,

you were missed while you were gone.

As for your dearest family, They'll be here later on.

"There's so much that we have to do, to help our mortal man.

God gave me a list of things, that he wished for me to do.

And foremost on the list, was to watch and care for you.

And when you lie in bed at night the day's chores put to flight.

God and I are closest to you....in the middle of the night.

When you think of my life on earth, and all those loving years.

Because you are only human, they are bound to bring you tears.

But do not be afraid to cry: it does relieve the pain.

Remember there would be no flowers,

unless there was some rain.

I wish that I could tell you all what God has planned. 

If I were to tell you, you wouldn't understand.

But one thing is for certain, though my life on earth is o'er.

I'm closer to you now, than I ever was before.

There are many rocky roads ahead of you

and many hills to climb;

But together we can do it by taking one day at a time.

It was always my philosophy and I'd like it for you too;

That as you give unto the world, the world will give to you.

If you can help somebody who's in sorrow and pain;

Then you can say to God at night......"My day was not in vain."

And now I am contented....that my life was worthwhile.

Knowing as I passed along the way I made somebody smile.

So if you meet somebody who is sad and feeling low;

Just lend a hand to pick him up, as on your way you go.

When you're walking down the street

and you've got Me on your mind;

I'm walking in your footsteps only half a step behind.

And when it's time for you to go....from that body to be free.

Remember you're not going.....you're coming here to Me.

This poem was added December 15, 2002

This will be our family's first Christmas without Papa

We miss him so very much

My First Christmas in Heaven

I see the countless Christmas trees around the world below

With tiny lights, like Heaven's stars, reflecting on the snow

The sight is so spectacular.

 

Please wipe away the tear

For I am spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.
 

I hear the many Christmas songs that people hold so dear,

But the sounds of music can't compare with the Christmas choir up here.
 

I have no words to tell you, the joy their voices bring,

For it is beyond description, to hear the angels sing.
 

I know how much you miss me, I see the pain inside your heart.

But I am not so far away, we really aren't apart.
 

So be happy for me, dear ones, you know I hold you dear.

And be glad I'm spending Christmas with Jesus Christ this year.

 

I sent you each a special gift, from my heavenly home above.

I sent you each a memory of my undying love.

After all, love is a gift more precious than pure gold.

This poem was written by a 13 year old boy who died of a brain tumor

that he had battled for four years.

He died on December 14, 1997.

He gave this to his mom before he died.

His name was Ben.

  


 
Images used "Garden Of Promise" by artist Thomas Kinkade is provided courtesy of Christ-Centered Mall Art.
Click on the image to visit Christ-Centered Mall Art web site and to enjoy more of Mr. Kinkades art as well as other artist.

Last updated by CJ

Monday, January, 13, 2003
[ 1994-2003 ]

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