Thomas Nunez, 1924-2008

Oh Papa, I will truly miss you.

Thank you for marrying Mama. Thank you for giving me such wonderful brothers and sisters that I can lean on and who love me. Thank you for giving the best gift a father could give a child….Beautiful Memories!

Memories of my life with you are coming back to me.
Filling me up, over flowing, flooding, I can hardly breath.

But , I have to laugh with joy. Because my memories are funny, loving and gentle as you have always been and always will be.

I love you. I miss you.

Your baby, Geri

Following is a wonderful poem by my niece.

His Love in Every Smile
by
Katie Williams
February 19, 2008

I sit in the car.
Absolutely numb. One time should be enough. Never twice.
The car ride with my father and brother is absolutely silent. Dead silent.

We arrive at the humble abode.
Scared. Anxious. Unprepared.
It is like reliving my nightmare, the one that I as well as many others fear.

We enter the door and are greeted by friendly smiles of family.
Or should I say friendly masks,
hiding red eyes, dark circles, and quivering lips.

I avoid him as long as I possibly can,
because I know the exact spot that he lay dying now
is where she did as well.

She who was my main comfort
when parents refused to listen.
She seemed to be the only one who understood me as a child.

But what I can’t understand is why she was taken from me
And her husband is forced to suffer
in that same exact spot.

I sit down at the table, eating my beans and rice like
I don’t know what is to come,
like I don’t understand what’s going on.

Finally, I am led into the room.
I see his rigid frame
and try to hold back my cry of despair.

The same closed eyes,
the same hollowed cheeks,
the same fragility as my grandmother’s.

A strange and unknown soldier lies frozen in bed,
if I hadn’t been with him for 15 years,
I wouldn’t be able to recognize him.

I touch his cold, weak hand.
He opens his eyes and his mouth—
there he is.

His crooked, less than perfect smile
filled with a thousand watts of electricity penetrates the ice around my heart
and I can’t help but let out a laugh of pure joy.

I think to myself: there is the son of
Mexican immigrants who traveled to America and worked so hard so that
the family could live a better life.

There is the tough soldier that battled for his country in World War II,
who now battles the spread of his stomach cancer
for his friends, his family, and himself.

Friends come in and out to send their blessings
with heavy hearts, but they automatically lift at the miracle
of his smile.

The community of grieving hearts sings songs to the Lord
while the soldier fades back
to his position.

We say prayers over him,
eat communion,
and cry.

I must go home and finish homework, so my brother and I will get a ride home
but first we must say goodbye
to everyone.

Big hugs of encouragement fill me with hope
but as soon as they end,
I am left with despair.

I’ve said goodbye to all,
except for
him.

I love you so much Grandpa, I say.
His eyes remain closed.
No smile.

I wait and wait and wait, but my ride
is waiting and ready to go.
Don’t leave without me.

Maybe one day I’ll see you again at the pearly gates
and I will be warmly welcomed with open arms by you and Grandma.
We will all be together as one big happy family with the Lord someday.

No pain.
No cancer.
Just smiles.

Click here for pictures of my father…