Thank you so much for showing your support. I thought I’d have a chance to share this at the end of the service for my Father, but it didn’t work out. I’d like to share it with you now. Unfortunately I didn’t inherit my father’s gift for public speaking. However, I felt a need to share this with my Father, family and friends.

Too many memories to list and to tell you the truth I am having a very hard time finding peace with any of this. However, despite going through the motions and taking care of logistics in a surreal haze the past few days, one awareness has become refreshingly clear: It is your beautiful partnership with my Mom. I guess I had taken it for granted w/out expressing the gratitude I now feel. Thank you so much for sharing such a precious life gift w/ her. You know that no one deserves it more than your amazing wife. 

I want to thank you for loving your work yet living with balance.

By never overextending yourselves too far financially, yet seizing the opportunities to become educated, travel extensively, enrich your lives through art, music, culinary experiences and good times with friends, a priceless life together was created.

Thank you for not always waiting until the time was “right” or you can afford it, yet organizing and planning to make it work w/in your means.

Thank you for being the one to lead and thank you for being man enough to follow.

Thank you for taking care of my mother physically during her medical recoveries.

I am so grateful that you chose to capture and express many of your experiences together through your artwork. Your passion for this medium has left us with just one more aspect of your legacy of which I am so very proud.

Thank you for giving me the gift to get up here with my head held high and know with everything that I am that I am genuinely so proud that you are my Dad.