A sad thing

[jethrien]

My great-grandfather passed away on Monday. (I haven't had time to post anything substantial in the interim.) It was his birthday--he made it to 105. I'm now realizing I don't know what the official cause of death was, but it wasn't anything particularly traumatic--he's been failing for awhile, but not from cancer or anything, just extreme old age. Overall, it's a pretty good death--dying from being really old, in your own home, with numerous adult great-grandchildren and a great-great-grandchild on the way. (It's a pity he won't meet Smidge, but he hasn't been terribly aware for a little while, so this is probably best.)

The overall family reaction, from the folks I've talked to, is not so much grief as just a sense of being vaguely impressed he made it that long.

Rest in peace, Pops. If I weren't pregnant, I'd raise a glass of vodka to you--we've always kind of suspected the reason you made it so long is that you were a little on the pickled side, anyway.

Comments

[ivy03.livejournal.com]

*hugs* It is kind of mind-boggling that you came close to five generations living at the same time, though, isn't it?

[jethrien.livejournal.com]

I know--it would have been pretty cool.