Happy Birthday, Grandad

Edward Albert Duke

January 11, 1936- December 24, 2006

My Grandad would be 77 today if he was still with us.  He would have been happy to see me graduate college, graduate school, get married, and get pregnant.  He would have loved being a great-grandfather.

He died from prostate cancer on Christmas Eve 2006.  He had been bedridden for weeks.  Sometimes I forget that he's gone and want to pick up the phone and talk to him.  Isn't it funny how you can still remember a lost loved one's number?  He and I had a close relationship and I miss that.  He was in so much pain on his deathbed that I was almost relieved at his passing.  He was and is the only person that I have ever watched take their last breath.  I'm glad that I was able to be there with him as he passed.

I know that he is in Heaven rejoicing with The King of Kings where there's no more sickness and cancer.

You could say that Grandad has never truly left me.  His picture was rolled up and tucked away in my wedding bouquet.  His dogtags were with me during my egg retrieval and hospital stay.  Our picture together is also hung where Brandon takes my bump picture each week.  At first I didn't notice it, but Brandon pointed out that Grandad is there with me in each picture.  

6 weeks

12 weeks

18 weeks

20 weeks