Milton Dean Parrack; GRANDPA

Grandpa passed away Thursday September 23, 2010 at about one in the afternoon. He just turned 79 years old. Grandpa had been fighting illnesses for years now but even more in the past 2 years.

For the past 2 weeks Grandpas health was really taking a turn for the worse. His nurse told him he wouldn't live more then 3 hours one night, but he kept holding on.

We visited Grandpa daily after his fall earlier that month. Some days he was sleeping other times he was wide awake and alert as ever watching his TV.

Saturday the 18th was Grandmas birthday, we brought he over a cake and we hugged grandpa and told him we loved him. I think he knew what was coming in the next week, he was so sweet.

Monday we visited, he was watching TV; Tuesday Mike went by and he wouldn't even wake up and respond; Wednesday I went by and Grandpa was laying in his bed awake as can be.

I took the kids to say goodbye cause Grandma said it would be soon. We were so happy to see he was awake. Grandma said he had just woken from a 12 hour nap.

I held his hand and rubbed his arm. I told him I loved him. He told me "I bet you don't love me anymore then I love you." He told me to take care of Grandma, he was so worried about Grandma. I assured him we would.

We talked alot, I wish I could have heard all of it, at one point I just got bits and pieces cause it was such a wisper. He told me to take care of Mike and the kids and told me what a good man Michael was.

He told me not to "moan and groan when he was gone because he was off to a better place." I told him that we would because we are human but that we know it is where we all will be one day and that we would see him there.

In the past 11 years I have known Grandpa his heart has softened so much. It used to be hard for grandpa to express his feelings but just in the past year or so it seems like a different man. I think Heavenly Father blessed him with that softness so Grandpa could express to his family his feeling before it was too late. I have really grown to love this man over the years. He would always listen when I would go over to Grandmas and just talk and talk. He always gave his 2 cents :)

Grandpa, we know you are in a better place, and that we will see you again. We know you aren't suffering anymore, and that you have a work to do with your ancestors, but we will miss you in this earthly stage of our lives. We love you Grandpa!

All of us that were at the house right after Grandpa passed. Grandpa died holding onto his bell that he would ring to get Grandmas attention.
Grandma wanted the kids to be there so they wouldn't be afraid of Grandpa, and so they could understand death better.