Saying Goodbye.

On Sunday night, Anton's dad passed away after a year and a half long battle with cancer. Everyone was really sad to see him go, but he had been suffering so much that it was also a relief to see him finally free of pain.


I have only known Anton's dad for 5 years, the time that we've been married, but in that time I've been able to see what kind of man he was. I asked Anton what he loved best about his dad, and he said that he was always wanting to go on some adventure. But not only did he dream about adventures, he was always planning and going on them too. He wasn't the type of man to sit idly by dreaming. He was a doer. Just in the time I've known him he has ridden his bike across the country to benefit the American Lung Association.

Ironically, while riding to raise money for lung cancer, what he didn't know was that he had lung cancer himself.

His next adventure was to hike the Pacific Crest Trail from Mexico to Canada. This is something he and Anton had planned to do together. When Anton and I got married, his dad told me that I was ruining all his fun. I'd taken away his adventure partner. So instead of bemoaning it, he just went on the hike himself. Sadly, he got really sick just a couple weeks into the hike and had to come home, but he would've gone back and tried again in hearbeat.

Anton's dad was an avid listener of oldtime radio and the Paul Harvey show. He did lots of family history and was an active participant in Clan Little. He would eat waffles or pancakes for breakfast almost every day. He was a great harmonica player.

Here he is just after we caught him in the dark at Fort Casey playing his harmonica so it would echo through the empty cement bunkers.

He leaves behind his beloved wife.

She will miss him greatly. And so will his 5 children, 5 children-in-law, 6 grandchildren, and many, many more extended family and friends.


He was not afraid to live and follow his own beat, and I know he will continue to do so from up above.