As many of you know, I lost my best friend Pete this month who was also the husband of my older sister Lynda. Last weekend was the funeral. That's really not what this topic is about though.
Last Thursday at visitation at the funeral home, one of my cousins that I don't see very often approached me and give me a big Gary hug. I'm not small, but Gary towers above me. He is the brother of one of my most favorite relatives growing up, Micky McDonald (https://forestryforum.com/board/index.php/topic,22902.0.html).
Anyhow, he then pulled out of his pocket something I had not seen in many years. It was my Mom and Dad's wedding day picture that had hung at the old farm that I remember seeing all the time growing up. Gary has the old farm now and he thought it was something I should have, so he brought it with him and gave it to me.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20160221_103413-1.jpg)
When we got home from visitation that night there was a message on our answering machine from "Bob" Bob is the boyfriend of my cousin Rita. He has been her boyfriend for over 45 years. He said he was bringing something for me to the funeral the next day and hoped I would be driving something that would be able to bring it home. My dad's tool chest.
My dad worked at Dow Chemical for over 30 years. He retired in 1984. When he retired, the plant carpenters and electricians and linemen presented him with a tool chest the carpenters had made, and the others had help fill with tools. They had a painter paint his name on it. I certainly remember seeing it. Any time I was at Dad's and we were working on something. The toolbox was there. When my Dad died 3 days before my birthday in 1994, I never really gave his things much thought. I was very busy working mostly 6 days a week 10-12 hours a day taking care of a young family and never gave a lot of thought to making sure what happened to dads things. Its not that I didn't care, but I was told my Uncle Ron was helping mom take care of things like that, so didn't concern myself. I did think about that tool chest from time to time after that, but never knew what happened to it until my Sister Connie died a little over a year ago. My Brother-in-law Pete, called me. He said Jeff, your Dad's Tool chest is in "Bob's" basement. Your sister Ann was told that you didn't want it, and Bob it about ready to give it to her husband, you should say something because it he does, it will be gone from you forever.
Well, I never told anyone I didn't want it. I never even knew what had become of it. So, I saw bob at my sister's funeral and told him that I did want it. He said sure, just set up a time to come and get it. Here is my number. Bob and Rita lived south of Saginaw, so it wasn't some place I would be just happening by. I tried two or three times to set up something where I could go pick it up and was always given an excuse to why I couldn't at the time. So, I basically put it to the back of my mind again for the last year or so until the phone message.
Good to his word, after the funeral last Friday, Bob came to me and said lets go get that chest out of my van. Yup, it was dad's chest. I had not seen it in over 20 years. There were no longer any tools in it. It was completely empty. I didn't even question that. Its much more beat up now, and was quite filthy, but I'm glad to have my Dad's chest back. :)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20160221_103136.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20160221_103159.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20160221_103216.jpg)
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20160221_103326.jpg)
So this is not the end of the reappearances.
Thursday, I went and spent the day with my sister. Wednesday was the first day she had been by herself since Pete died. I went over Thursday just to be there. She is doing well. Before I left that afternoon, she told me she had something she wanted to give me. When Dad died, he had given Lynda his old 35 marlin carbine. It was the only procession he had that I knew that had been earmarked for someone. In 1982 he put a signed dated note under the butt plate of the rifle that said it was to go to Lynda. His daughter who was a hunter. What she wanted to give me was Dad's rifle. I am sure my sister knows the great sense of lose I have in losing Pete, but Pete has 3 sons, and his guns and things were certainly going to them. Lynda has kept her own personal weapons she hunts with, but the 35 carbine, she had always planned on giving to me someday to pass on to one of my children. We put a new note, along with the old one under the butt plate, signed and dated by her, spelling out her wishes. This gun is very special to me as well. I killed my first buck with it in 1976. I was hunting with my cousins Mickey and Gary, mentioned earlier in this long post. The gun, my dad had acquired in the early 1960's when he had bought a suite of living room furniture from the Godwins furniture store. Buy a suite of furniture, get a free deer rifle. I can betcha that is why mom got the new furniture. I remember the furniture too. It was a sectional sofa and love seat with a brown upholstery that has a lighting bolt type of texture in the weave. I can remember laying on that furniture as a child tracing the lines in the upholstery with my finger.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20160221_124102.jpg)
There is one more thing that I now have that I did not have a week ago, due to the passing of Pete. And at the moment the most precious. I keep it in my pocket, and probably most always will. Its simply one of the spent cartridges given to Lynda, that she gave to me, that was used in the 21 gun salute when we buried Pete this last week.
(https://forestryforum.com/gallery/albums/userpics/10001/20160221_124259.jpg)
great story jeff glad you got those things to look at and remember those gone on. hope you and the family are doing well :)
What a post!!! Glad that you got those items back.
It warms the heart, and moistens the eyes, when good things come to good people. So happy for you with all your treasures. :)
Great story of loss and recovery.You will find comfort in having memories re-kindled by the chest,the rifle and the spent shell.
Thank you Jeff.
Thanks for sharing that with us Jeff. smiley_thumbsup
Great post .
I'm glad you have the things that mean a lot too you .
I have my Dads tool box of mason tools and open it some times .
It brings back the good times .
Bruno
Nice,,
Great stories. Great memories. Thanks for sharing.
Jeff,
Congratulations on being reunited with these treasures and time spent with loved ones. Sorry for the reason for the reunion but hope everyone left with some good memories.
Wow....this post was worth reading, every word of to.
The mistieness of my eyes after reading this just brought to my attention the fact that we are family here on the Forestry Forum. What happens in the life of one matters to the rest of us.
My life has been forever changed.
Jeff, thanks for sharing these personal things with us.
yes thanks for sharing you have a WONDERFUL family to have saved and given the treasures back to you
Simple treasures with little intrinsic value that come from the heart. We own nothing, but are the caretakers for our assigned length of time. We preserve, cherish, enjoy, and pass these treasures on. Thanks for sharing this story Jeff.
Memories that will be with you forever and also with some of us.
Nice tool box. I'm sure you will fill it up.
Very cool :)
Great story, thanks for sharing it with us. I am sure these items will be passed on for many generations along with this post. :)
:) great story! I believe those small things that pop up when you least expect them are just little signs that loved ones are watching over us.
Nice heartwarming story!
Very happy for you Jeff!
Thanks for sharing ;)
I wish I could write like you, thanks for sharing mon ami! :)
That's awesome Jeff. I love that tool box. It's great that you ended up with it. Maybe with that rifle you'll see more deers.
Quote from: Burlkraft on February 22, 2016, 02:52:18 PM
Maybe with that rifle you'll see more deers.
fudd-smiley
Just read your post, thanks for sharring that with us its just what I needed to be reminded of the fact that there are still good people today making for great families like yours. :)
I think the dog likes the tool box :)
Great post that brings tears to my eyes.
Today I went over to my friend Mike Foster's place and used his reloading tools to work on the cartridge given to me. I laminated and placed my favorite photo of Pete with some dates and his military info on it within the cartridge then sealed it with a bullet. I placed the dead primer back in it to keep it sealed. Then, I drilled the new bullet so I could put a ring on it. I plan on carrying it and do not want to ever lose it.
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That's pretty awesome Jeff. :)
Wow.....got to give you credit. Thats awesome. :)
Jeff sorry for your loss. I still have the shell from the 21 gun salute from my FIL's burial. wwll stormed the beach at Normandy, crossed europe like private ryan, came home with a box full of metals, german guns knives etc, never saw any of it until after he died. He never said a word. still have that cartridge. I like what you did with yours. Your story is so respectful, you have a way with words. NICE tool box Lazerdan
Great job on the bullet key chain keep sake!
Quote from: Burlkraft on February 22, 2016, 02:52:18 PM
Maybe with that rifle you'll see more deers.
Will you be able to hit more?
It's unbelievable how one thing connects to the other. Like the others....Great post, Jeff. Very heartfelt at a most basic, loving level.
Yes, if you think about it, I now have my Dad's chest because of Pete, and his looking out for me. If he had not called me with the heads up, it simply would have gone away. My Dad loved Pete. Pete used to do all kinds of things with him. He always went with dad when dad wanted to cut wood.
Thanks for the stories, Jeff. I have that same rifle, bought in '75 or '76'. I have some rope, short pieces that my son used to tie off his truck tarp when hauling nursery trees. He was the last person that touched them and every time I handle them, I feel a physical connection. These items will keep you loved ones connected.
Mark
Actually, this rifle is a bit rarer. It was made in 1963. It is s h o r t! The barrel is only 16.25 inches long, and that includes what is in the receiver. It's a marauder model.
Good post Jeff thanks for sharing.
Very happy for you Jeff that you have many things bestowed on you to recall those fond memories. Things have a way of travelling in circles it seems. :)
Very sorry you had to have the experiences needed to write this post. But also glad to hear you see the best side of things. The bullet added to the shell with a hole for the keychain is a very nice piece of work. I have helped many of my woodturning students turn the shells from a grandparent's funeral into a pen. I will remember this idea and use it also from time to time.
Thank you for sharing this story.It's well written, and with beautiful pictures. It's nice that they thought of you at the time, so you could get these things. I'm sure they will be appreciated, and cherished through time
Jeff
In loss there is always gain and as is the case in your situation this gain has a lot less to do with the heir loom "things" you now posses that you did not a week ago, But in the oral stories (mythos) that are the evolving legends of your family.
What you have experienced is that you have been entrusted with and are now a keeper/protector of part of the "grail" of your family because you have shown your self faithful in the eyes of your family.
You have done well in this and you will pass it on in your own good time to the next worthy one when that time comes.
The gain is the Mythology that will continue to define the family to which each of you belong.
The "things" are the relics of that mythology that you will hand on with the story that is your families legend.
Tell the story well when the time comes! As you have done here.
Heart felt condolence for the loss! I have been there!
Congratulations for the gains to the Family's heritage!
You deserve it!
Very good post.