Dad

Just a little after 6 p.m. today, September 5th, dad passed away. Although in a coma state and breathing shallowly, he passed peacefully and without struggle.

He deteriorated quickly since his cancer diagnosis in late July. Since his hospitalization earlier in August, he has been calm and peaceful about dying, saying he was ready to go, made peace with God, and felt prepared mentally. Yesterday afternoon Tina and I were blessed to spend about an hour with him alone; he was more alert then than he had been in days. He laughed and joked with us, listening to me and Tina tell stories, even throwing in a joke or two of his own. Tina left the room to check on mom, and then dad and I talked a bit more. I got up from my chair looked at him as I circled the front of the bed. He turned his head to the left, and like a light switch, he became non-responsive. Throughout the evening and into today, he fell deeper and deeper into a coma with shallower and shallower breathing.

We plan only to have a private family viewing and memorial, and then bury his ashes in a few weeks. All the details are not arranged now. However, Tina and I wish any friends of family wanting to pay respects make a donation to the Bobby White Memorial Fund (to be set up shortly). More info to come on that.