My story begins the day my father died.

He was my friend,my mentor, but first and foremost my wonderful loving father.

He tried to teach me all about the pains of the world. He would talk every day and he had the patience of Job. He could be funny and very strict. He had to be with 5 children, me being the oldest.

We would watch baseball and the fights together.the other's were not as close to him as I was. At times even my mother was jealous of the bond we had.

After I got married and left home, I would call them weekly, my mother always answered and gave the phone to my pop's,he and I would carry on a conversation for hours.we talked about the weather, about the happenings in the news, about his health and my health. He was always worried about me getting sick.

As the years past, I was always to far away to visit. He would ask when are you coming home. I could never say because of financial problems. 
Now on my second marriage, he and my mother surprised us with a visit,we were living in fort Riley Kansas at the time. It was a wonderful visit, but sadly came to a end.

After my parents left we were getting ready to leave fort Riley for good as he was getting out of the service. We traveled to West Palm Beach FL.where we stayed with his family until we could find a house. That is time we had five children, because we stopped on the way down to pick up his two children.

Now here I was with five children and the youngest was still in diapers.God help me please, every Sunday I would call my father to inform him of what was going on and how the children were doing and how I was coping with work and the kids.
Plus I was working a job that required me to work weekends and holidays. so I missed a lot of time with the kids.

Plus I missed the time with my father.
Months would go by and I could never find the time to call either I was way too tired or I working, that is my biggest regret.

As the years past and my mother died,he refused to go live with anyone so he stayed in the house they built. He had a cleaning lady come three days a week and a nursing staff to look in on him.

Every Sunday I would call him to see if he was okay. We again would talk for hours, about everything and anything. From politics to baseball and football and the weather and his health

I got a call one day he was taken to the hospital he had to have a pace maker
I sat by the phone all day waiting for one of my sister or brother to call me and let me know how he was doing.
I didn't get the call until four days later. needless to say I was flipping pissed.
And they know it.

When my brother called me and gave me the number to the hospital and his room I made it à point to call him every day, and when he didn't answer I would call the nurses station and they would get him the phone, it seems as if someone moved it out of his reach.
He would bitch up a storm to me about them. Complaining about the food and how they would wake him up to take his medicine. I had to laugh at him sometime.

Well after he healed up he caught pneumonia he was a very sick man.
I would still call every day and If I couldn't talk to him I would ask the nurses about his health, they were very nice and would tell me he is not eating good and I would then call my brother and relay the message.

Now mind you my brother and one sister lived about ten miles away from him.but I was the one delivering the news.God I was so pissed off at them.

My father never left the hospital they took him to a nursing home, where he stayed until he passed away. He just finally gave up and was ready to go be with my mother.

The day he passed before he took his last breath my brother called me and let me say good bye
I got the phone fighting back the tears...
Pop's it is ok to let go and go be with your wife... I love you terribly and I will miss you so much but you have lived a long life and a very good life,so good bye Pop,and with that my brother said he took his last breath and went peacefully.

I cried my eyes out for three days.
When my brother called and told me they were going to get me up there to see him at the funeral home.

My father. Joseph Miguel Woelfling was 98 when he went home he served in the Navy and was à member of the knights of Columbus in fact he was the Grand knight. Leaving behind 5 children and 15 Grand children and way too many great grands And 5 great great.

I find myself at times picking up my phone to call him, then I remembered he is gone. He passed away three days after his 98 birthday.

He is at peace now..