The loss of the last parent.

Well, made it through the first year without you in my life.

Did know what to do when you passed away,

All the plans that had to be made just to get you back to NJ.

That would be your place for the rest of the time. You would be placed b next to your wife and my grandparents.

It is not easy to plan everything when your heart is hurting.

Make plans with your friends and family to say their goodbyes to you.

This is going to be so hard one planning this around a holiday called Easter.

Plans are done date has been picked.

Now pick up the box with your ashes in them.

Looking at the box for hours and wondering did you have pain as you pass to heaven.

Now it's time to make plans for us to rest our heads as we wait to bury you next to your wife.

Cards and phone calls from friends and family who will not make it to the service due to illness and distance of travel is to far for them to make.

It will take two days to get you back home to New Jersey and your final resting place.

We packed you in your special place in the car. Off we go.

Two days have gone by. It is time to make the phone to the people who we want to come if they don't have a newspaper or internet. This takes time and a lot of messages left.

The stories that were told about your life by your friends and family. I think that you have done a good job, Dad.

Meet with friends and family for a dinner in your honor and coffee also.

The day has come to say goodbye to you. It seems weird that you are in a box.

Friends and family bring pictures of the fun times that they had with you.

An old friend came to say goodbye to you. I don't his face but he tells me a story that he was the one who set up you and Mom on your first date together.

We all know how the ends. You and Mom got married and had two wonderful children who would give you grandchildren that made you very happy and smile. This is the only thing that Mom wouldn't get to see. She was gone and now she was waiting for you in heaven to complete your life story.

We drive to the place of your rest. I see the spot in the distance. You will be placed next to your wife.

The prayers are said and the roses are handed out to the people as a thank you to the people who paid their respects to you.

One by One we leave. Your son and daughter stay to our final goodbyes to you.

There it is over nothing more to do but take the long ride back to Florida without being in the car a few later.

Two days later we are home and now it is time to start the process of writing the thank you notes to everyone who sent a card or was at the service for you.

The paperwork and having your name removed from things that you own and bills that need to be paid. This will go on for months.

Finally, I got the picture with your ending date of life that was placed on the gravestone. You are born and you have a dash to fill in which is your life and date with your life ends.

You were on this earth for 89 years. I think that you had a great and wonderful time here on earth.