My Father, Ted Weinhaus

(This is the remembrance speech that Robin gave at her Father’s funeral.  I thought it amazing and beautiful)

I begin by starting with the end.  Dad died at 8 pm Sunday night. He spent his last day allowing his body to do what it had always done, keep him alive the magical way it could. His breathing was such a struggle and yet breath after breath he persevered. For days, our breath labored along with him, ourselves struggling with each breath.  In the end, the pneumonia won and we gentled our breath in gratefulness and surrender.

Dad was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s many years ago.  He lived in a world where he could not express himself with his words and thoughts. We will never know what he thought.  But we did know that he had joy in his heart. He showed this daily to his caretakers at the nursing home. He showed his joy to most anyone who he could have eye contact with. Just last Wednesday, less than one week ago, he looked into my eyes, opened his mouth and laughed and smiled. He was filled with joy to see me. You could not help but wonder why he laughed and smiled but we all came to the same understanding that there was a shining, golden appreciative man inside.

I am grateful. I am grateful to have been taught by my father to love life and appreciate each and every moment of it. Even when life is tough and it Is not the way you want it to be, there is a lesson and a blessing to be learned. My father has been a great teacher to me.  He taught me to that there is a shining, golden moment to be had.

My father spent his life living in the moment. Just being was just fine with him.  As I look back at my life with my family when I was a child, I see a man who loved doing just about anything he could with his family.  He was a very special man.  I realize this about him now more than ever.

Ted would be very pleased to see all of you here. He would have something to say to each of you. He would smile at you, shake your hand and ask about how you were doing. He would listen to your news and respond with kindness and maybe say something funny to make you feel smile.  Mostly, he would smile.  He was just like that.

Thank you for coming here today to remember and commemorate Teddy.  We all will remember him for his special way of making us feel special.  We will all remember him for having a zest for life that sometimes came from the most simplest things.  Sometimes those simple things are the most important.

Thank you Teddy

We will miss you.