I cannot finish this compilation of stories, responses and bad jokes without paying tribute to my wife. Many of the events and segments of my life which I described in previous chapters predated the time I first met Claudia. I have discussed our cross country trip, courtship, wedding, and honeymoon. Following that we had 42 years of marriage and raised three sons. She was for me a loving and supportive spouse and she provided for us a happy home.

There’s a scene in the Jerry Maguire movie where Tom Cruise is giving a lengthy apologetic explanation to Renee Zellweger and she says “stop, you had me at hello”. Claudia had me when I first saw her smile, which I always described to her as a winning smile. She won over so many people with her spirited good nature and sense of humor. She was born to be a Mom, but she was much more than that. She took an active interest in our sons’ lives and easily established a rapport with their friends. She took part in many school functions. She was a Cub Scout leader. She could (and did) sing, dance, choreograph, perform in and direct theatrical productions. She was a member of a Sweet Adelines singing group and the lead singer in its barbershop quartet. She was an active member of her church and conducted religious education sessions. She was an avid bowler (almost as good as me). Wouldn’t it have been great to hear her stories about those activities and other events in her life?

She was also courageous in her 9-year struggle with multiple myeloma. As we left the oncologist’s office on the day he told her that she had an incurable but treatable cancer the first thing she said to me was “what kind of spin do we put on this for the kids”. She accepted the reality of the disease and endured all of the chemotherapy, radiation, medications, stem cell transplants, and other treatments for it. She faced adversity with hope and faith. When the decision was made to amputate her leg she wrote an “ode to her leg”. Who does that? When she first feared that she would die without seeing her grandchildren she sat down and wrote a letter to them describing herself and her interests. In the end she suffered the humiliating indignities of a bodily system shut down by the cumulative impact of the cancer drugs.

I miss her terribly and I will be forever grateful that she was part of my life story. I keep on my dresser the little poem card from her funeral service because it gives me comfort when I read it. The poem suggests that we don’t dwell on a deceased loved one as gone away, but rather “think of her as living in the hearts of those she touched, for nothing loved is ever lost and she was loved so much”. I think that definitely is true of Claudia.

If you’re made it this far, thanks for your interest. I do not intend to write a sequel until I have completed all ten items on my bucket list.

Cheers!