Goodbye

My father called this afternoon to tell me that my grandfather passed away a few days ago and was discovered in his home alone. We’ll be driving up to Tulsa on Thursday morning for a weekend memorial service.

Ivan L. Denbow was born in Ohio in 1923 and died at the age of 85. He and his 9 siblings were orphaned at a young age and lived at a working orphanage in Zanesville, Ohio. After serving in World War II he met and married Betty, who died right before my father’s 4th birthday. Ivan married shortly afterwards to Corneila for 50 years until she passed away in February 2007.

I haven’t had a moment really to reflect other than realizing how alive we are and how much we should appreciate this.

Life is beautiful.

Goodbye, grandpa. We love and miss you.