Last Wednesday morning, November 28th, my father passed away. He had a massive heart attack in his sleep, we hope and pray that he felt no pain and didn’t suffer.

Dad

Below is my eulogy given at his funeral service

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Dad was a special breed; he was a hard worker, hard nosed, and hard headed man. He wasn’t the heart-on-your-sleeve kind of guy, but for those of us who really knew him, he didn’t have to be, it was clear what mattered most to dad, his family. He was always there for us, no matter what, he backed us 100% and while he’d often trade a hug goodbye for a punch in the arm or a kick in the ass, there was no doubting his love.

Dad and the family

Growing up we spent a lot of time together, and although he worked, what seemed like 80 hours a week, he was there when he needed to be. He was at every football game and swim meet, boating every weekend in the summer, traveling with Jen to the Westminster dog show in New York City, or National dog shows, there was no trip too far. Even yard work with dad was fun – I’m sure some of the guys from Perkins would disagree – but Dad knew his time with us was short so he made sure it counted.

Hanging out at the beach with Dad

Dad and Jen had a special bond, one only a father and daughter could have.  Dad was Jen’s best friend.  She is so like him in many ways, two peas-in-a-pod, quirky and unique, and sometimes much too alike!  Dad and Jen (also known as Joon) would sit around on Sunday afternoons and watch the Patriot games together, and they were certainly not quiet games.  With Dad yelling at the ref and calling out “Jooooooon” to come and watch!  They also enjoyed hiking through the woods together, with a bunch of dogs of course.

Dad and Jen hiking with the dogs

He was so proud of everything Jen has achieved with her dogs.  Even though he would sometimes grumble about there being too many dogs and would often ask visitors if they wanted to take one or two home, he truly loved and enjoyed them all.  He was always eager to hear the news from how they did at the weekend shows and loved coming home and seeing all the ribbons they had won and hearing what new titles they earned.  He even made Mom get a cake for Jen when she met one of her big goals, just after Thanksgiving.

In the summer of 2011, one of Jen’s dogs had a litter of puppies.  This was not the first litter she’d had, but there was one special pup that Dad fell for.  Not something that usually happened!  This particular puppy would wiggle and smile every time she saw Dad.  Dad even called her a “cutie”!  As time went on, Dad and this puppy got more and more attached, they would both light up when they saw each other.  Jen, however, had her heart set on a different puppy in the litter and didn’t plan on keeping Dad’s favorite.  One day it finally became clear to Jen that Dad had made his puppy into a spoiled Princess and she needed to stay!  Dad called his puppy “Glowie”, while everyone else called her “Chloe”.  Her official name is Grand Champion Checkerberry – Just Because.  She stayed “just because” she was Dad’s.  Well, it turns out Dad’s feelings about this puppy being special were right.  Chloe started attending dog shows as a puppy, and became a Grand Champion in October, at just 16 months old.  Dad loved to bring pictures into work and brag he was so excited by all the winning HIS dog had done and was so proud of Chloe for earning her Grand Champion that he even sent away for a commemorative medallion.  Something that, at the time, Jen thought was pretty cheesy.  Now it is something she will treasure forever, one last gift from Dad.  She is so glad she kept Dad’s dog, even though Chloe is a spoiled Princess, a piece of Dad is with her and she will forever be grateful for that.

Dad and Jen, when she was a baby

When we moved to Ashburnham in 2001, I found my love for the outdoors, it was something that was always inside of me, in my blood, I just hadn’t realized it till that point. This opened up a whole new world into Dad, he too shared the love for outdoors. We’d spend weekends four wheeling or hiking through the woods, reminiscing about his younger days working with the AMC in the White Mountains. Occasionally I could convince him to come on a bigger hike with me, we climbed Mt. Monadnock a few times, Dad, being the finely dressed man that he was would wear jean shorts, long underwear and knee-high socks. He was a practical man, it didn’t matter that his pack was Jen’s fourth grade school bag, it could fit a bottle of water and his 1950’s style Arctic parka. We’d proudly stand on the summit take a few moments to rest then make our way back down.

Me and Dad standing proudly on the summit of Mt. Monadnock

As he got older and his knees started to bother him hikes became shorter and less frequent. My wife, Ally and I had a goal during her pregnancy, to summit a new mountain every month and to finish all the peaks on the Presidential range. Dad would love hearing our stories and seeing the pictures, he knew he didn’t have it in him anymore to climb the big mountains but he never lost his spunk. This past summer we had plans to come up for dinner one evening, we told him that we were thinking of hiking Mt. Watatic – a small mountain not far from his home – and, as always, asked if he wanted to join. When we arrived to pick him up rather than the typical half hour of coaxing he bounced out of his chair boots on, bag packed, ready to go. He loved that mountain. A few years back there was a campaign to save the mountain from getting a cellphone tower, Dad made a contribution in his and my name, our names are now engraved in a granite monument on the side of the mountain. On the day of his passing I went and visited that stone, Dad may not have realized it at the time, but that spot will forever be a place where the two of us are together.

Our names on the bottom left

In October Dad got to meet his first grandson, Camron Hart, I’m so happy and thankful that he had that opportunity. One Saturday a few weeks ago, I visited Dad at work with Cam; Dad was out in the yard somewhere when we got there. I waited around a few minuets before getting ready to leave, just as I was starting to drive away Dad came around the corner with his classic “Charles wave”, as he sat there for an hour or so and held Camron he looked so proud, I know he was.  My biggest regret is that Cam won’t get the chance to know his grampy, he too would have been proud.

Dad’s first look at his Grandson

A friend of mine told me that the body is just a vessel for our soul, that when someone dies, their body goes away, but their spirit lives on.  I know that Dad’s soul is still here, a part of him lives in all of us and although we may not be able to see him, he is there watching over us, guiding us, keeping us safe.

Dad standing close to heaven

Dad, when you get where you’re going, start looking for all your four legged friends.  They’ll be waiting to escort you across the bridge, barking, wiggling and jumping around in excitement so happy to see you again.

Dad and Trevor, both together again

Rest in peace Dad, you deserve it.  We love you.

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I have always tried to make my father proud, and I know that he was so proud of my life, everything that I have accomplished. He has taught me so much, and I can only hope that someday I will be as good of a father as he was. There are so many thing that I wish he would be around for: Camron’s first words, first steps, first date, first fight with dad, first Christmas…

We got to see him at Thanksgiving, Dad got to hold Cam for a little while, of things to be thankful for on that holiday, in retrospect, I am most thankful for that. That one of Dad’s last memories were with his grandson.

I will always treasure the memories, and will surely seek guidance from him in the future. I will be sure that Camron knows who his grandfather was, how great of a man he was, and how proud he was to have Camron as his grandson.