Audley’s much loved “Pop” passed away peacefully in his sleep early Saturday morning, surrounded with love.  Last November he was given 3-4 months to live, and Pop was determined to fight.  Let me tell you, he taught us all about a good fight!

We had a lovely family dinner (Celebrating Canadian Thanksgiving/Columbus day) on Monday of last week, Samantha took him to the bank on Tuesday, MacKenzie carried him a fresh jug of apple cider on Wednesday, Madeline had ice cream with him ever afternoon last week, Thursday my Bradley was playing Jeopardy with him and Friday I spent the day with my mother-in-law, Samantha, & “Granny”, trying to keep him comfortable.

He said that he was climbing a mountain.

Well, Pop got over that mountain, and after 11 months of fighting, Pop just couldn’t anymore.  Audley said it best, “Pop had a 3:30 am tee time in heaven.”

As I am watching my husband struggle over the right words to say at his funeral today, I think back to one of the doctor’s visits that I carried him to over the summer……

While in the waiting room, he and another lady were discussing a  cooking segment that had been on the Today show.  Pop looked at her, while patting my hand and said, “Well, my grand-daughter here is a real chef (which brought quite a bit of laughter from me!) and she can cook anything!  It all tastes so good!”

That was Pop.  In 16 1/2 years of marriage with Audley, he has NEVER one time referred to me as an “in-law”.  I was just always his grand-daughter.

Pop wasn’t Audley’s biological grandfather either, but he was a natural-born Grandfather.  He loved and supported like no one else could ever imagine and I thank God for every moment with him.