I lost my step father exactly 4 weeks ago today. Len was diagnosed with oral pharyngeal cancer in May of 2008, the same month he retired from 40 years of teaching. He died at home under hospice care on November 16th, 2009 at 1:40 in the afternoon. His passing was peaceful, not frantic or hurried. He was surrounded by my sister, my husband Jim, Cooper, my mother, his sister Carol, my aunt Mary and myself. Jim started a fire in the pit in the backyard around 12:30 in the afternoon, Len loved fires and I thought it was a perfect goodbye.
Len married my mother when I was five. Even though I never called him "Dad", he was. He was home most summers, off from school, so he spent extra time with my sister and me. Len was always happy and talkative. I remember he would call for no reason at all and ramble on and on, and I would just want to get off the phone, what I would give for just one more phone call, to hear his voice! Len couldn't really talk for the last year or so of his life, which was really hard for him. I will miss his voice, his hugs and his smile. I know that he will be looking down on us and I hope he knows we really miss him.
Len, I love you and miss you very much. You will always have a special place in my heart.
