April 20 1980

In the very early hours of the morning of April 20 1980, my dearly beloved and sainted father passed away in his hospital bed. He had been unconscious for a couple of hours. I still feel serenely happy that I could be with him in his last minutes - my brother had left minutes before to fetch my mother and sister.

He had a hard life, a very hard life of toil and sorrow, but he remained totally devoted to his wife, children and grandchildren. His last months were painful, but his death was peaceful. Thank God for that.

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My father was a simple man, who lived by his principles and taught by his exemple. His generosity was boundless as was his understanding. He was a real hero. He was my hero. The pain from the separation will remain allways, but he will never really die as long as he lives in our hearts, and I am sure that he has gone to his eternal reward - to a blissfull happiness that never was his in this here valley of tears.