The love of my life has passed away

The love of my life passed away last evening, August 16, 2016.

We were married for 43 years.  Jack promised we were going to be millionaires – well, we never saw that million dollars but we had something money couldn’t buy, something far greater.  We were together 15,728 days and we had a million laughs along the way, we had trips abroad, wonderful friends, and we have the home we built (the house that Jack built!) and our dogs.

Jack was my biggest supporter:  through several elections and a huge number of meetings of the various organizations of which I was, and am, a member.  I’m an ardent cook and he was always a willing sampler of any new recipe I tried, especially my cinnamon buns.  I recently was awarded the 2016 Milton Senior of the Year Award – that couldn’t have, would never have happened without Jack’s support all those years.

 Jack was a joke among our friends – that he never met a person who wasn’t his newest best friend – no matter the skin colour, how a person dressed, how much or how little they had in their pockets, their station in life. 

"Hail fellow well met" is an old expression used when referring to a person whose behavior is hearty, friendly, and congenial. That was Jack to a tee – hearty, friendly and very, very congenial.

Recently, Jack had started down the path to dementia or Alzheimer (pretty much part and parcel of the same thing). Those with family members with Alzheimer know the devastating challenges that come with such a terrible illness. The person with dementia is no longer the person we knew – the essence of the Person is lost.  It’s like losing them while they’re still alive.  If there is a positive note, I can say it was a blessing that Jack went as quickly as he did, the way he did.

Right now I can’t imagine life without Jack.  One thing I do know is that we have wonderful friends who have been a help already and upon whom I know I can depend. I am so very grateful. 

But I am also so very lost.