My 99 yr. old neighbor passed away last night.

[John Schmidt]

He had been in poor health in recent years, but kept his sense of humor going until most of the last year. A little over a year ago they moved out of their house across the street into an assisted living facility about a mile away, she's still doing real good, is 95 as I recall. Mary and Louie were an active part of the foundation of this neighborhood, he used to stroll over and "supervise" when he saw me working in the shop. Was part of Omaha Beach landing, had some real horrific stories to tell. Took a round right through his pants, it passed between his inner thigh and his "business end" as he called it and stung his butt a little, left him with two holes in some fairly new britches. Loved to sit and listen when he reminisced of his war days. He also spent some time in Italy, said it was really nice duty since the locals were so friendly. I asked him which locals he was referring to(meaning women), he always got a twinkle in his eye, would lean over as though he thought Mary would hear him, then speak in a low tone. Something tells me Louie saw a lot of action in different "theaters."  Said the Scandinavian women were actually more beautiful and open than the French or Italian. I took him at his word.

I'll miss my old friend, such a wealth of information. It's been said when an old person dies, it's like losing a library. My dad left us at 93, now Louie at 99....I couldn't agree more. RIP old friend. 

[cookiedough]

Sorry to hear your neighbor friend passed.  As a young kid I always enjoyed going over to chat with old man Chris who use to sit outside in his cheap nylon webbing aluminum folding chair drinking HARD liquor every single day drunk as a skunk daily and him getting up and stomping on big black ants all the time.  Never understood why he hated big black ants, but he had some stories to tell as well. 

My old neighborhood growing up had mostly old people when I was there growing up, now my mom age 74 is the only old one left after all these 35+ years.  Not sure how much longer she will be living there as well with her dimentia/alzheimers getting MUCH worse as of this past few weeks her mind is shot.   
My brother and me are discussing now what to do with her overdosing on her meds twice last week taking 2 days in one day,  and just not getting it mentally at all anymore.  The key is to do SOMETHING for doing NOTHING is not an option.  I bought Friday a lockable pill box but anything NEW is scaring her from using it seems like the past 2 days.  changes are coming soon I fear...

[old2soon]

Friends of mine here in Missouri had me over for a cook out and these two older guys started talking. Turns out they were-both gone now-both Army WWII and when they stared Comparing notes they figured out they were never more than 5 or 6 miles apart after the D-day landings. And one of them was on a Bazooka team. He told me that after D-day the life expectancy of a Bazooka team was measured in minutes. To say I was mesmerized is an understatement. When I attended that Mans Funeral and saw his ribbons-6 rows with the Highest award the Silver Star-twice-Impressed is also an understatement. I wanted to bring a tape recorder and get it on record-Those 2 older Soldiers would NOT allow it. Sorry for your loss John. RIDE SAFE.

[Karen]

Sorry for your loss, John, few are chosen, but all, eventually, are called. Thanks for sharing your memories. Prayers sent.

[Oldfishguy]

Good stories; mine is quite different.

For the last dozen or so years I had an elderly neighbor and his health gradually failed until this winter it rapidly deteriorated.  I always got along with the man and his wife but could almost always feel a hard edge to him that made me a bit uncomfortable.  It is hard to describe but yet was always present.  Over the winter I knew his health was failing, he had the means to stay at home for most of it with home health care, hospice, etc.  About two weeks before he passed he called me on the phone and asked to talk.  I visited him and basically he was saying goodbye, I wished him well and I sunk a bit upon leaving.  For the next two weeks I saw a parade of vehicles in his yard, each wishing him well on his way I believe.

At the funeral my thoughts of that hard edge became clear.  The minister opened up the group to speak, some eloquent, some not.  He had been estranged from quite a few family members and old friends for some time (decades) until the last two weeks before his passing.  Needless to say, it was an uncomfortable funeral.

Why did he wait so long to reconcile, I ponder?

[The emperor has no clothes]

Good stories; mine is quite different.

For the last dozen or so years I had an elderly neighbor and his health gradually failed until this winter it rapidly deteriorated.  I always got along with the man and his wife but could almost always feel a hard edge to him that made me a bit uncomfortable.  It is hard to describe but yet was always present.  Over the winter I knew his health was failing, he had the means to stay at home for most of it with home health care, hospice, etc.  About two weeks before he passed he called me on the phone and asked to talk.  I visited him and basically he was saying goodbye, I wished him well and I sunk a bit upon leaving.  For the next two weeks I saw a parade of vehicles in his yard, each wishing him well on his way I believe.

At the funeral my thoughts of that hard edge became clear.  The minister opened up the group to speak, some eloquent, some not.  He had been estranged from quite a few family members and old friends for some time (decades) until the last two weeks before his passing.  Needless to say, it was an uncomfortable funeral.

Why did he wait so long to reconcile, I ponder?

I don't know why either, but I think there is a lesson in there for us.

[scooperhsd]

Good stories; mine is quite different.

For the last dozen or so years I had an elderly neighbor and his health gradually failed until this winter it rapidly deteriorated.  I always got along with the man and his wife but could almost always feel a hard edge to him that made me a bit uncomfortable.  It is hard to describe but yet was always present.  Over the winter I knew his health was failing, he had the means to stay at home for most of it with home health care, hospice, etc.  About two weeks before he passed he called me on the phone and asked to talk.  I visited him and basically he was saying goodbye, I wished him well and I sunk a bit upon leaving.  For the next two weeks I saw a parade of vehicles in his yard, each wishing him well on his way I believe.

At the funeral my thoughts of that hard edge became clear.  The minister opened up the group to speak, some eloquent, some not.  He had been estranged from quite a few family members and old friends for some time (decades) until the last two weeks before his passing.  Needless to say, it was an uncomfortable funeral.

Why did he wait so long to reconcile, I ponder?

I don't know why either, but I think there is a lesson in there for us.

There sure is - make your peace with your family and neighbors well before the end - you want people to "enjoy" the getting together for the funeral, rather than have the tension.

When my mom passed away a couple years ago (from Alzheimer's /dementia) - it was the first time since my dad had passed away in 1994 that I had seen some of them - some of them it was longer than that. I still haven't seen some of my Mom's sister's kids (my cousins)  even though they are not that far away..

[The emperor has no clothes]

Good stories; mine is quite different.

For the last dozen or so years I had an elderly neighbor and his health gradually failed until this winter it rapidly deteriorated.  I always got along with the man and his wife but could almost always feel a hard edge to him that made me a bit uncomfortable.  It is hard to describe but yet was always present.  Over the winter I knew his health was failing, he had the means to stay at home for most of it with home health care, hospice, etc.  About two weeks before he passed he called me on the phone and asked to talk.  I visited him and basically he was saying goodbye, I wished him well and I sunk a bit upon leaving.  For the next two weeks I saw a parade of vehicles in his yard, each wishing him well on his way I believe.

At the funeral my thoughts of that hard edge became clear.  The minister opened up the group to speak, some eloquent, some not.  He had been estranged from quite a few family members and old friends for some time (decades) until the last two weeks before his passing.  Needless to say, it was an uncomfortable funeral.

Why did he wait so long to reconcile, I ponder?

I don't know why either, but I think there is a lesson in there for us.

There sure is - make your peace with your family and neighbors well before the end - you want people to "enjoy" the getting together for the funeral, rather than have the tension.

When my mom passed away a couple years ago (from Alzheimer's /dementia) - it was the first time since my dad had passed away in 1994 that I had seen some of them - some of them it was longer than that. I still haven't seen some of my Mom's sister's kids (my cousins)  even though they are not that far away..

I am in no position to give advice. I'm not very good at forgiving. But it can't hurt to give your cousins a call. 

[wiggydotcom]

My condolences for the loss of your neighbor, John. He sounded like a wonderful man and reminded me of my now departed neighbor across the street. He was a retired railroad man. I only got to know him for a year or two after we moved in before he passed but he was a very colorful character.

I'm sure your neighbor will be missed.

[Skinhead]

Sorry to hear you lost a friend, John, and that we lost another hero.

[3fan4life]

Sorry about your loss.

I'm certain that you will miss him.

I read somewhere awhile back that life isn't about the years that we live.

It's about what we do with the - between them.

It sounds like your friend lived a long, eventful life and that he made the - count.

[3fan4life]

Good stories; mine is quite different.

For the last dozen or so years I had an elderly neighbor and his health gradually failed until this winter it rapidly deteriorated.  I always got along with the man and his wife but could almost always feel a hard edge to him that made me a bit uncomfortable.  It is hard to describe but yet was always present.  Over the winter I knew his health was failing, he had the means to stay at home for most of it with home health care, hospice, etc.  About two weeks before he passed he called me on the phone and asked to talk.  I visited him and basically he was saying goodbye, I wished him well and I sunk a bit upon leaving.  For the next two weeks I saw a parade of vehicles in his yard, each wishing him well on his way I believe.

At the funeral my thoughts of that hard edge became clear.  The minister opened up the group to speak, some eloquent, some not.  He had been estranged from quite a few family members and old friends for some time (decades) until the last two weeks before his passing.  Needless to say, it was an uncomfortable funeral.

Why did he wait so long to reconcile, I ponder?

I don't know why either, but I think there is a lesson in there for us.

Yes there is.

My oldest brother died in July 2015.

Hardly a day goes by that I don't think of him and wish that he was still here.

I am able to take great comfort in knowing that the last thing he and I ever did, was hug and tell each other the we loved each other.

I can't imagine how much the grief is multiplied when we lose a loved one that we weren't on "good" terms with.

Sometimes family members can have huge falling outs over the smallest things.

If we really do care about them, then we need to be the bigger person and extend the olive branch before it is too late.