Grandma, I love you so much, and pray that peace surrounds you always and especially now in Grandpa's passing. We will all miss him greatly, but we know we will see him again.
I love you-
Hillary

My Dad, Mr Bud

Remember them like they’re still here
Even though they are not
They have gone to a better place
Somewhere we are not

The feeling of loss we get
Some people don’t understand
Just to get one more day
When our parent walked this land

I wasn’t there that afternoon
When my father passed away
I didn’t get to tell him
All the things I had to say

So I speak like he still here
Telling my kids the stories
They won’t think I’m queer

So don’t be ashamed
Because I am not
To talk about him
He gave us a lot

I love you Mom and Dad

I know that my grampa is in a better place than we are, and there is no more pain.... I can actually see him smiling and drinking coffee with Great Grampa IJ, great Gramma Dorie, Great Grampa Ray and Great Nana. I know he has already asked God for a bigger table so that we all have a place to sit when we get there!!!! I take comfort in knowing that he is feeling much more like his old self. My prayers are with my gramma and my family. I love you all. Remember after the rain comes the sunshine, and with the sun comes a rainbow which to me signifies grampa's peace.

I will miss you grampa, but I will see you again. I love you gramma and all my aunts and uncles and mom and dad.

Love, Erin

Daddy, Mom expressed it so well when she told you, "Good bye, Bud, I will see you again in heaven." That is our hope and promise from the Lord for all believers like you, Daddy. Good bye is just for a time, and a very short one in the scheme of life. We will miss you, but we know you no longer hurt or feel the frustration of being unable to care for Mom the way you always did. You were a wonderful provider and a really great Dad. We love you. I will always remember the fishing trips in Louisiana bayous, camping trips to Missouri and Arkansas,the Father/Daughter dance at St. Vincent's Academy, the annual trek to Lansing to visit all of our relatives, the times at the cabin on the Suwannee and of course the times in Seminole. I had a great life with you, Dad. Tell Grandpa Ray I said I stll miss him, too, I know he was there with Nana, Grandpa I.J. and Grandma Doris when you went home. We will take care of Mom.

Grampa, I will miss you so much, but I know you're better off with the Lord. I see you laughing and joking over coffe with Grampa Ray, Great Nana, Great Grampa IJ and Gramma Dorie as you wait for us all to join you. I will never forget the fun we had everytime we got to see you and Gramma, I am only sad it wasn't as often as I was an adult. I love you and will one day see you again, so save me a place. To my family remember that after the rain there is always sunshine and rainbow's. I love you all and am praying for you.

Love, Erin

This is what I imagine Grandpa is saying:

I am home in Heaven, dear ones;
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.

All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in Heaven at last.

Did you wonder I so calmly
Trod the valley of the shade?
Oh! but Jesus' arm to lean on,
Could I have one doubt or dread?

Then you must not grieve so sorely,
For I love you dearly still;
Try to look beyond earth's shadows,
Pray to trust our Father's Will.

There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand;
Do it now, while life remaineth--
You shall rest in Jesus' land.

When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you Home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come!

I was saddened to hear of the loss of your Dad Kim.
Veterans hold a special place in my heart. They give thoughtlessly and bravely to this great country.
Thank you for your service, Sir. I am but one grateful American.

Dear POPPOP, I will miss you greatly but I do know that you are home where you belong. I'm happy to know that I have 3 of the very best angels watching over me now, granddad, my love joshua and now you my sweet poppop. I love you very much poppop and I will see you again someday! I will pray everyday for courage and strength for our family and most of all for Grandma. She is a strong woman and I know that b/c I've gotten my strength from her I'm sure that's where my mom got hers too. I love you very much poppop and will always have you in my heart. Please be nice to Joshua he always liked you! :)
Dear Grandma, it looks like you and I are in the same boat... kinda... you had more years and had children but we have both lost our loved one, our soul mates and best friends. Where do we go from here? Ive ask that question all the time and the only response I seem to get is we just have to keep living. We have to be happy and love life and live in their honor. I am here for you grandma and I love you! Just know that things are going to be okay now. Poppop is in a better place to watch over us. I LOVE YOU GRANDMA MARI LOU!! Be strong like i know you are!
As Joshua and I always use to say to..."i love you always and forever til the end of time" i love you grandma- BRITTANY COATES

This is a time when all the family remembers the love and the fun times we had together as one BIG family. all the fun stuff we did and some may remember the ruff times in their life as a child growing up in our family, but all in all we had the best family life! I will never forget my life at home with my sisters and BROTHER. we had much fun and memories of all our camp trips especially ones from LA. Dad could never have any more love than what he has gotten from his children. we need to hold our heads up high and let mom see that we all are family and we are there for her now with all our heart soul and mind, doing the best we can to keep her healthy and alive, cause once she is gone then it will just be six children to keep this family together!! my love to you all, tammy.(no i have not forgotten the grands and greatgrands that are in our lives!)

Tina - your father was a remarkable man, an exemplary husband, father and patriot. God bless you and your family.

Losing a loved one is the most heart breaking event to happen in each of our lives! There is no words I can come up with to say but sorry for the pain each of you feel. Grandpa will be missed by all!

Love,
Stacy

High Flight

Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of earth,
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, --and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of --Wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there
I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air...
Up, up the long, delirious, burning blue
I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark or even eagle flew --
And, while with silent lifting mind I've trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.


John Gillespie Magee, Jr

Godspeed beyond the wild blue Grandpa!
Love Jack, Riki, Zachary, and Gaby
________________________________________
We love you Grummy!!

"After the clouds, the sunshine,
after the winter, the spring,
after the shower, the rainbow,
for life is a changeable thing.
After the night, the morning,
bidding all darkness cease,
after life's cares and sorrows,
the comfort and sweetness of peace."

Poppop had a long fulfilling life and as the tao saying says 'The journey is the reward'. All journey's must come to an end and Poppop can look back on his life with no regrets, he helped his country with his service in the military while raising a healthy family. There is no doubt that he will be missed, but he should also be remembered for the great man he was.

Love,
Daniel.

For what is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and to melt into the sun?
And what is it to cease breathing, but to free the breath from its restless tides, that it may rise and expand and seek God unencumbered?


Only when you drink from the river of silence shall you indeed sing.
And when you have reached the mountain top, then you shall begin to climb.
And when the earth shall claim your limbs, then shall you truly dance.

Kahlil Gibran

I love and miss you grandpa, I have cried my rainbow tears for you and I will always carry wonderful memories of you in my heart. Your spirit is now free from the body that held you here with us but you will never be gone because you live on in so many hearts and in all the lives that you touched, profoundly or briefly. I am proud to call you my grandpa and strive to emulate all the good I found in you.

Grandma, we wish that we could be closer to you in this time of loss and grief, you are always in my thoughts and prayers. Without you and grandpa, none of us would be. We love you grandma.

Tina,
Am so very sorry for your loss. Your father led a remarkable life not only in the public eye but I'm sure to those very close to him. You and your family are in my prayers.

SAFELY HOME
I am home in heaven, dear ones;
Oh, so happy and so bright!
There is perfect joy and beauty
In this everlasting light.
All the pain and grief is over,
Every restless tossing passed;
I am now at peace forever,
Safely home in heaven at last.

And he came Himself to meet me
In that way so hard to tread;
And with Jesus' arm to lean on
Could I have one doubt or dread?
Then you must not grieve so sorely,
For I love you dearly still;
Try to look beyond earth's shadows,
Pray to trust our Father's Will.

There is work still waiting for you,
So you must not idly stand;
Do it now, while life remaineth
You shall rest in Jesus' land.
When that work is all completed,
He will gently call you home;
Oh, the rapture of that meeting,
Oh, the joy to see you come!

I have kept this in my memory folder of grandparents gone past. It helps to heal the heart with the great promise of the last two lines. We love and miss you sorely dad.
Love,

Chris and Sandy

Grandpa will be greatly missed by all who loved him. May we all find peace in the knowledge that he has gone home and awaits our arrival.

Grandma we are all very sorry for your loss, we might not have gotten down there to see you two very often but my boys remember the last vist with grandpa and you. they very much enjoyed the visit, as did I. please take care of yurself and hold your head up high as that is what grandpa would want you to do and soon we can all see him again. love tonya and family

Went to high school with Sydney (or was it Junior High?) Was wondering what Sydney was up to - read the sad news. My Dad Is still living but lost my Mom in 1981. I am sorry for the family's loss but hope Sydney is very happy otherwise. I am living in Atlanta, Ga. Would be great to hear from Sydney.