My Father's Passing, July 29, 2004
  
 
 
July 29
 
We knew the end was near, and I was ready to book a flight back to Charlotte on quick notice. On the morning of July 29th I was parked as usual at Camp eHome on the Microsoft campus in Redmond and at work early. The call from Sister Jan in Charlotte came early - Father had taken a turn for the worse. I hurriedly booked a flight and left Building 50. While driving south on 156th Ave through the middle of the Microsoft campus I received another call from Sister Jan in Charlotte. Jan put the phone to Father's ear and I told him that I loved him and that I was on my way. Jan said later that he seemed to respond. The first flight that I could get to Charlotte didn't leave Seattle until the evening so I had to sit and wait. I pulled in to the Safeway near Microsoft around 11am and anxiously piddled... packing for the trip, writing email... When it happened, the call came shortly after 12:25pm (Seattle time) - - on the phone, my friend Randy simply said "three twenty-five" (Charlotte time). Mother, Sister Jan and Brother Brian were at Father's side as he passed away...
 
Leaving Seattle...
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fathers_passing_009.JPG (242743 bytes) fathers_passing_010.JPG (183355 bytes) July 30
Back at Strawberry Hill in Charlotte... with Mother...
 
 
August 1
Visitation...
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August 2, 2004
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After the service, back at Strawberry Hill...
     
fathers_passing_016.JPG (147490 bytes) Sylvia Coffey... fathers_passing_017.JPG (154270 bytes) Tom Billotto... Christie...
 
fathers_passing_018.JPG (157253 bytes) Pete... Jill... fathers_passing_019.JPG (167807 bytes) Jan and Matt...
 
fathers_passing_020.JPG (185357 bytes) Randy... fathers_passing_028.JPG (164120 bytes) Tom, Christie, and Bob Patterson...
 
fathers_passing_021.JPG (139663 bytes) Cousin Kathy and Lonnie... fathers_passing_022.JPG (191861 bytes) Joanne and Brother Brian...
 
fathers_passing_023.JPG (183047 bytes) Matt and Ryan... fathers_passing_024.JPG (335845 bytes) Matt, Will, and Ryan...
 
fathers_passing_025.JPG (186136 bytes) Mary Lou Purvis... fathers_passing_026.JPG (158133 bytes) Young Ryan...
 
fathers_passing_027.JPG (159952 bytes) 1st Row, L-R: Uncle Fred Thompson, and Aunt Blanch Miller (my Father's older sister)...

2nd Row: Aunt Christine, Uncle Elmer Thompson, Lonnie, Cousin Kathy, and Cousin Michael Thompson...
 
fathers_passing_029.JPG (185589 bytes) Brother Brian and Cousin Kathy...
     
 
August 4
Sharon Memorial Park, in Charlotte...
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August 6
At Mountain Island Lake... Mother, and Sister Jan's family...
 
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fathers_passing_040.JPG (210422 bytes) Here Sister Jan emulates a picture I took of Pete Davis on the steps of La-dee-da's back on August 23, 2003. Father would have appreciated this shot!
 
fathers_passing_041.JPG (347282 bytes) Back at Strawberry Hill... Mr. Squirrel...
 
 
August 9
 
fathers_passing_042.JPG (427846 bytes) On the left side of the driveway, my old Greenway Ave. apartment. Tom Billotto and Karen lived on the right side of the driveway...
 
fathers_passing_043.JPG (376723 bytes) fathers_passing_044.JPG (303242 bytes) Greenway Ave., about a block from the heart of Stanleyville... and the Bayou Kitchen, Jack Straw's, etc...
 
fathers_passing_045.JPG (169924 bytes) Strawberry Hill... Sister Jan observes Will's phone call. This is one of those priceless shots...
 
 
fathers_passing_046.JPG (321887 bytes) August 10
Will at Strawberry Hill...
 
 
fathers_passing_047.JPG (119544 bytes) August 11
At Mountain Island Lake... Sister Jan on the old upright!
 
 
August 12
 
fathers_passing_048.JPG (160962 bytes) At Strawberry Hill... coffee with Mother...
 
fathers_passing_049.JPG (149291 bytes) fathers_passing_050.JPG (123926 bytes) Leaving Charlotte... back to Seattle...
 
fathers_passing_051.JPG (243184 bytes) Over Cincinnati...
 
fathers_passing_052.JPG (123172 bytes) fathers_passing_053.JPG (158402 bytes) Chicago...
 
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fathers_passing_058.JPG (230377 bytes) Spokane, Washington...
 
 
The Grand Coolie in Washington State...
 
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fathers_passing_064.JPG (156136 bytes) Glacier peak, 70 miles northeast of Seattle, in the Cascade Range...
 
fathers_passing_065.JPG (231490 bytes) Redmond, Washington... fathers_passing_067.JPG (251740 bytes) Over Microsoft...
 
 
fathers_passing_068.JPG (240747 bytes) Bellevue, Washington... fathers_passing_069.JPG (201984 bytes) I-90... Bellevue, Mercer Island, Seattle...
 
 
fathers_passing_070.JPG (232033 bytes) Sea-Tac... Puget Sound...
 
fathers_passing_071.JPG (164547 bytes) fathers_passing_072.JPG (192760 bytes) fathers_passing_073.JPG (159107 bytes) Approaching Sea-Tac... Mount Rainier 50 miles to the south. The red arrow in the middle shot points to Bigfoot at SeaTacPark.com...
 
fathers_passing_074.JPG (155362 bytes) fathers_passing_075.JPG (169241 bytes) SeaTacpark.com...
 
 
 
John McDermott's "The Old Man"

The tears have all been shed now
We've said our last goodbye
His soul´s been blessed & he's laid to rest
And it's now I feel alone

He was more than just a father
A teacher my best friend
He can still be heard in the tunes we shared
When we play them on our own

I never will forget him for he made me what I am
Though he may be gone memory lingers on
And I miss him ... The Old Man

As a boy he'd take me walkin´
By mountain field & stream
And he'd show me things not known to kings
And secret between him & me

Like the colors of the pheasant
As he rises in the dawn
And how to fish & make a wish
Beside the holly tree

I never will forget him for he made me what I am
Though he may be gone memory lingers on
And I miss him ... The Old Man

I thought he'd live forever
Cause he seemed so big & strong
But the minutes fly & the years roll by
For a father and his son

And suddenly when it happened
There was so much left unsaid
No second chance to tell him thanks
For everything he'd done

I never will forget him for he made me what I am
Though he may be gone memory lingers on
And I miss him ... The Old Man...