mlepp0416

I thought that I’d posted this on this site but can’t find it so I apologize, and will post it now.

I have to let everyone know that the funeral for Tom was wonderful, emotional, sad, full of joy, bittersweet. There were a lot of family and friends for the Wake on Friday, and the same for Saturday for the service.

The Deacon that did the service said “When I do a funeral service and see such a large group of people in attendance such as I do today, that tells me that this man was a much loved person who touched many people during his lifetime.

Our grand daughter Kaylah, 16, (from Iowa) sang “Amazing Grace”, our daughter Brianne sang “Go rest high on that Mountain” (Vince Gill) and Tom’s and my fishing buddy Dennis did the Eulogy.

The Deacon and Dennis are brothers and before Dennis even spoke, Deacon Mike had to get a few ‘digs’ in for his brother with statements such as “Tom must have been a heck of guy to get a guy like my ugly brother to cry while writing the words he wanted to say” and “I have to pick on him so that he gets mad at me so he won’t cry today” and at one point said “Dennis, do I have to pinch you?”

The words that Dennis spoke for the Eulogy are as follows:

I met Tom approximately 16 years ago, you know how you meet some people and they have this smile that makes you feel like you could just hug them? Tom was one of those people. He invited me to join him at Whitefish Lake in Canada for a week of fishing. That became a yearly adventure for 14 years. Tom, I am sorry to have to say this but you were NOT the best fisherman. Marge seemed to always ‘out fish’ you. Now we pray that you are fishing up in heaven with the best fisherman of them all: Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

I pray that I may live to fish until my dying day. And when it comes to my last cast, I then most humbly pray: When in the Lord’s great landing net and peacefully sleep. That in his mercy I be judged big enough to keep. Tom was always there. If that meant driving all the way to Thunder Bay and back for a part for SOMEONE ELSE’S motor; Tom was there.

Our Lord says to Love thy neighbor as thyself. Tom showed all his neighbors love through his deeds. Look at what he did for his family and friends at White Clay Lake.

I feel Tom was the happiest when he reunited with Marge. She became his strength through these hard time. Thank you Marge.

This is a shotened Version of Lina Ellis’s (The Dash) if you have already heart it, please bear with me.

I read of a man who stood to speak at a funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on his tombstone. He noted that first came th date of his birth 1947. Then he spoke of the followng date with tears, 2011. But he said, what mattered the most of all was the DASH between the years. For that dash represents all the time that he spent alive on earth. And now we all know what that dash is worth. I believe Tom lived that dash to the utmost as a Husband, Father, Grandfather and Friend.

After the service, there was a processional out to the mausoleum for his interment. The processional was at least 40 cars long. The Military Honors were beautiful, the gun salute – Three men, three guns and each fired 3 shots.The Taps can do anyone in and the folding of the flag and presenting to the spouse (me) was beautiful. As we watched the casket being lifted into the Crypt I said “And the battery on the lift goes dead” and prayed that it would not. But as they started to lift the stone to place over the Crypt, the battery went dead, and they had to get a different lift to put the stone in place.

We had a wonderful meal afterwards and told lots of fun stories about Tom and incidents in his life. One of the funniest was the Oyster incident. One of Tom’s friends had given him a can of Oysters, which he’d forgotten was in his truck. We were at White Clay Lake where our cottage is and were building an addition for one of the campers. We had a fire for burning all the scrap wood. Tom saw the can of oysters in the truck and grabbed it and threw into the fire. I told him that I didn’t think that was such a good idea. Needless to say about 10 minutes later, just as Tom was walking past the fire, we heard a boom and there was my poor Tom with stinky bits of oysters all over his hair, face, shirt and pants. He just stood there with such a funny look on his face! And did he smell awful.

All in all it was a wonderful day, yes, it was sad and bittersweet. My family has surrounded me and although I will have some very sad days, I know that I will find peace and I am proud to be his widow.

Hugs and love to everyone. And you know my Motto: Go with God and KEEP KCIKIN’ THAT cancer for my Tommy!

LOVE,
Margaret on behalf of my Tommy.

P.S. My son Gil and daughter Brianne spoke about Tom at the funeral and I will post their words later.

When I first joined this forum, I started on another link (which I just found on page 11) and am so happy to see that it is still on here. I plan to somehow print out all pages from both part 1 and part 2 and perhaps incorporate that into some type of memory book for the family.

One suggestion that I can think of is that the site would/could offer some type of printable button : Print all pages ? Or offer participants the option to purchase a bound copy of their posts for their loved ones. Something to consider for future upgrades?

Each and every one of you who have followed Tom and I on our journey have become very special to me, now that Tom has passed.

I wish you all peace and happiness with the upcoming Holiday season and may God Bless each of you.

Go with God and KEEP KICKIN’ THAT cancer for my Tommy.

Love and Hugs,
Margaret

Tom is watching over all of us now. He is at peace.

I have to let everyone know that the funeral for Tom was wonderful, emotional, sad, full of joy, bittersweet. There were a lot of family and friends for the Wake on Friday, and the same for Saturday for the service.

The Deacon that did the service said “When I do a funeral service and see such a large group of people in attendance such as I do today, that tells me that this man was a much loved person who touched many people during his lifetime.

Our grand daughter Kaylah, 16, (from Iowa) sang “Amazing Grace”, our daughter Brianne sang “Go rest high on that Mountain” (Vince Gill) and Tom’s fishing buddy Dennis did the Eulogy.

The Deacon and Dennis are brothers and before Dennis even spoke, Deacon Mike had to get a few ‘digs’ in for his brother with statements such as “Tom must have been a heck of guy to get a guy like my ugly brother to cry while writing the words he wanted to say” and “I have to pick on him so that he gets mad at me so he won’t cry today” and at one point said “Dennis, do I have to pinch you?”

The words that Dennis spoke for the Eulogy are as follows:

I met Tom approximately 16 years ago, you know how you meet some people and they have this smile that makes you feel like you could just hug them? Tom was one of those people. He invited me to join him at Whitefish Lake in Canada for a week of fishing. That became a yearly adventure for 14 years. Tom, I am sorry to have to say this but you were NOT the best fisherman. Marge seemed to always ‘out fish’ you. Now we pray that you are fishing up in heaven with the best fisherman of them all: Our Lord, Jesus Christ.

I pray that I may live to fish until my dying day. And when it comes to my last cast, I then most humbly pray: When in the Lord’s great landing net and peacefully sleep. That in his mercy I be judged big enough to keep. Tom was always there. If that meant driving all the way to Thunder Bay and back for a part for SOMEONE ELSE’S motor; Tom was there.

Our Lord says to Love thy neighbor as thyself. Tom showed all his neighbors love through his deeds. Look at what he did for his family and friends at White Clay Lake.

I feel Tom was the happiest when he reunited with Marge. She became his strength through these hard time. Thank you Marge.

This is a shotened Version of Lina Ellis’s (The Dash) if you have already heart it, please bear with me.

I read of a man who stood to speak at a funeral of a friend. He referred to the dates on his tombstone. He noted that first came th date of his birth 1947. Then he spoke of the followng date with tears, 2011. But he said, what mattered the most of all was the DASH between the years. For that dash represents all the time that he spent alive on earth. And now we all know what that dash is worth. I believe Tom lived that dash to the utmost as a Husband, Father, Grandfather and Friend.