Happy Birthday, Dad!

My dad, Dick Ike, Jr., would have turned 104 tomorrow, August 8th, an age his own father had reached.  But Dad’s colon cancer was higher up and more invasive than Grandpa’s, and he only lived 9 years after diagnosis and resection.  But he died a happy man, as he had lived.  Just as his retirement years exceeded his Fisher Body working years (by one), he spent many more years with the burden of a son (nearly 51) than without (only 34).  Regardless, I’m so happy he and Mom brought me home from that Grand Rapids hospital in  ’52.

One of my duties right after he died was to compose and deliver his eulogy.  Others would deliver remarks, but mine were to be committed to a pamphlet put together by undertaker Jon Durham, who happened to be my best friend’s little brother.  I reproduce that document here, so you can all read about what a great man my dad was.

Published by rike52

I retired from the Rheumatology division of Michigan Medicine end of June '19 after 36 years there. Upon hitting Ann Arbor for the second time (I went to school here) it took me almost 8 months to meet Kathy, 17 months to buy her a house (on Harbal, where we still live), and 37 months to marry her. Kids never came, but we've been blessed with a crowd of colleagues, friends, neighbors and family that continues to grow. Lots of them are going to show up in this log eventually. Stay tuned.

2 thoughts on “Happy Birthday, Dad!

  1. Nice bio

    My Dad would have been 108 in Nov. this year. Same vintage Americana as yours. But perhaps your Dad was more attached to the Old Country, being a 2nd generation immigrant. My family crossed the pond a hundred years earlier and that story is lost.

    Sent from my iPhone

    >

    Like

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