Some of you may recall a thread I started a few years ago, when I discovered that my dad was not my biological father.
Well, he passed away last Saturday, after a mercifully short hospital stay. The funeral was a week ago. I’ve been spending the intervening time getting my mother moved into a retirement community, with my sister’s invaluable help.
Dad was a computer pioneer (simulations), a lover of theater, a fan of ethnic food (the spicier, the better), and a real goofball who loved Tom Lehrer, Alan Sherman, Monty Python and Laugh-In.
I’ll miss his razor-sharp perspective on everything from software to world affairs. He always supported me, even if we didn’t always see eye-to-eye.
Thanks, everyone.
Dad was pretty interesting - he grew up poor, a Jewish kid living in the rough, Irish-Catholic neighborhood of Dorchester, Mass. The only one of three sons to go to college, and Harvard, too boot. Worked for the NSA when they first were formed, went on to learn about computers, and made a career of it. Married for 61 years, and lived in the same house until this last illness, 52 years in all.
Never was much good with hardware, but that’s what he had me for.
I do know how it feels. But think of this, while you may not have seen eye to eye your dad did ove Tom Lehrer.
Sometimes I toy with the idea of a tape to be playing at my funeral reception, or the viewing. It would definitely have some Lehrer songs on it.
It’s good to have other family to help, it sounds as if getting your mom settled, along with your sister, is a relief. Sorry to hear you are going through this.
It will happen that some stray event will trigger a memory of your dad and you will laugh, or at least smile, instead feel that sharp tear in your heart. Not soon, but eventually.