12.5.12

Sadly, my dad lost his fight to cancer the morning of December 5, 2012. It is one of those dreaded things you can not imagine until it happens; the loss of a beloved parent. It is hard to sum up the life of a man who has meant so much to me. It would take pages filled with stories, memories and moments to even try and grasp at how I feel about this loss. The sorrow catches me in waves, usually when the day is settling and I am worn, but mostly I am left with tremendous gratitude for having the father I had. Not too many are as lucky as I.

So Dad,

I desperately miss your cheerful hellos on the phone and you sitting at your desk, staring at that computer screen working working...

I am so grateful I was with you that last year and half. Your sacrifice was great and you never turned bitter and your faith in God and Christ never wavered.

Thank you for the years of support; thank you for all you provided; thank you for your strong work ethic; thank you for always patiently getting off the computer to come help me; thank you for loving my Bug and always jumping up at the sound of her cry; thank you for your gentle, cheerful and often playful disposition; and thank you for the legacy you left behind. You will always be my beacon.

I will never forget how you worked and sacrificed for us all, how you always served and for never once making me doubt God and family came first.

Thanks for all the beautiful memories and for fighting so hard for us. Until we meet again, the wait already seems dreadfully long. I will think about you everyday for the rest of my life. In the meantime, I will be waiting for you on the river next summer, just like you said.

Douglas Frank Kunkel

June 26, 1943 - December 5, 2012