Good-bye dad. See you later. I am sitting at the Fort McMurray airport soon to board the flight to head back to Atlantic Canada. Last night my 95 year old father died. So I am gathering with my wife, family and my seven brothers to honor dad at his home-going service. He was the last of his siblings to pass on. We loved dad. He was the type of person that was fun to be around. For nearly a century he loved living, daily. A happy husband, a patient father and father-in-law, an engaged grandfather and caring great-grandfather. Perfect, no! Not by a long shot. Being perfected, yes, without a doubt. I have never met anyone who cared so little about what others thought of him yet at the same time cared so much for others. He knew people because he was a people person. Dad was comfortable in his own skin. Rarely upset, always satisfied. Never met a stranger that didn’t soon become a friend. Lumberman and highway foreman. Knew God in his heart, served God with his hands. Woodsman, whittler, gardener and a great storyteller. Oral tradition was his speciality. His memory recall was amazing! Death on potato bugs. Crazy about country music.
Saved by the grace of God in the 1940's. Kept by the power of God through all his struggles, failings and family responsibilities.
Lived on earth and expected to enter heaven where Blanche his wife of fifty-five years lived. Mom entered that much better place nearly 20 years before dad's arrival. Poppa to adoring grandkids and sought out by newborn great grandkids for that special generational photo. A tree that was planted in 1920 that lived ninety-five years to see many young trees growing in his shadow. Dennis (‘Dintz’) Somers spanned time, all the way from silent movies to selfies for Facebook. He was not the proud person who thought himself more righteous than others. He was rather more like the one whose heart’s cry was, "God be merciful to me a sinner!" Saved by the grace of God in the 1940's. Kept by the power of God through all his struggles, failings and family responsibilities. We not only loved him, we really liked him. Dad was the father we needed and the dad we wanted. Good bye for now and thank you for being you. It will not be the same without you but we shall try to enjoy every day as a new day - just like we watched you do.