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

[jethrien.livejournal.com]

His wife died when I was pretty young, but old enough that I have some clear memories of her and a necklace that she left me. So I actually knew two of my great-grandparents, which is pretty lucky.

[ladymondegreen.livejournal.com]

I knew two different great grandparents too, which always felt pretty lucky to me. I still miss my great grandfather. I knew my great grandmother less well.