Well, life's been a little crazy

So, since the last blog there has been a death in the family, a trip to the mountains, our roof was reshingled (which is part of the reason why it has taken this long to post), a botched weekend, and a visit from "long lost" family.

To start, three weeks ago my grandfather passed away after struggling to rehabilitate after a massive stroke.  He struggled for about 4 months with several ups and downs.  Surprisingly, even after the stroke had damaged one fourth of his brain he was still able to speak clearly, which was a blessing.  It was also comforting to hear that when he did pass it was peacefully in his sleep, if only we're all so lucky to pass that way (hopefully without a stroke or any other major health catastrophe). 

He was absolutely the greatest grandpa anyone could ever had.  He had a wonderful sense of humor and a laugh that was infectious.  He always had a story to tell, even if you had heard it several times before.  Everyone who knew him couldn't help but love him.  And of course his British accent, which is something of a novelty to Americans, but I couldn't imagine him without it.  My only regrets are that I didn't get to spend more time around him, I didn't get to hear each of his stories for the hundreth time, and that he never got to meet his great grandson. 

For those of you who never had the pleasure of meeting him here is what the obituary read - his life in a nutshell:
"WALSH, DR. ANTHONY FRANCIS, age 79, was born in Walthamstow, England, December 17, 1930, passed away July 14, 2010. He was a clinical microbiologist at Orlando Health for 40 years. He was a long time instructor in the College of Health and Public Affairs at the University of Central Florida. He performed seven years community service with the Volunteer Neighborhood Watch of the Orange County Sheriff’s Office. He was a member of the St. Margaret Mary Parish for 40 years and for 17 years he participated in the Catholic Medical Mission to the Dominican Republic. He earned his Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctorate degrees at the University of Florida and is a Distinguished Fellow of the Institute of Bio-Medical Sciences and was a member of the Royal Army Medical Corps. Dr. Walsh is survived by his wife of 53 years, Mamie Rae Walsh, daughters Clare Walsh and Anne Reynolds, four grandchildren, Sheena Jackson, Daryl Dunsmoor, Elizabeth Reynolds, and Caleb Reynolds, and two great-grandchildren Kaitlyn and Keith Jackson. Viewing for Dr. Walsh will be held 6pm-8pm on Sunday, July 18, at Carey Hand Cox-Parker Funeral Home, 1350 W. Fairbanks Ave, Winter Park, Florida 32789. Mass of Christian Burial will be held 10 am on Monday, July 19, at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church, 526 N. Park Ave, Winter Park, FL. 32789. Interment will follow at Palm Cemetery, 301 W. Webster Ave, Winter Park, FL. Reception to follow at St. Margaret Mary Parish Hall. In lieu of flowers the family suggests memorial contributions be made to Catholic Charities of Central Florida or Hospice of the Comforter, Altamonte Springs, FL."

He was so well known and loved in the medical community that there was even a seperate article written about him:
Born in Walthamstow, England, Anthony F. Walsh was 9 when enemy bombs fell on his homeland. World War II had broken out and many parents sent their children away for safety. But Walsh stuck with his family.



He didn't leave England until he was 26. Looking for better opportunities, Walsh, who served as a lab technician in the Royal Army Medical Corps, boarded a ship and crossed the Atlantic Ocean to answer a job advertisement from a Massachusetts hospital.

"He was enthusiastic and excited. He was bittersweet about leaving his family, but he felt it was an opportunity he needed to take," his daughter, Anne Reynolds, 47, said.


He worked for three years in the hospital's lab, where he met his wife of 53 years, Mamie Rae Walsh, who was a medical technologist. The couple, who liked to "talk germs" at the dinner table, later moved to Orlando. A clinical microbiologist, he spent four decades at Orlando Health. He left the hospital in April after a stroke. Walsh, 79, died Wednesday.


Walsh, who eventually became a naturalized U.S. citizen, received his bachelor's, master's and doctorate degrees from the University of Florida. His doctorate had been in microbiology, but he had a bachelor's degree in agriculture and worked in veterinary science.



"He's got the most tremendous work ethic," Reynolds said.


He juggled several jobs. He worked at Orlando Health during the day and in the late afternoons he taught microbiology at the University of Central Florida College of Health and Public Affairs. He also was a consultant for two dialysis labs.


Despite all the work, his family was his priority. He found time to go to his grandchildren's' baseball games and school band concerts. The scientist also was a devoted Roman Catholic. Walsh, who had been an altar boy in England, was a lector and Eucharist minister at St. Margaret Mary Catholic Church in Winter Park.


For a decade, he traveled with the Catholic Diocese of Orlando to the poorest villages in the Dominican Republic. On the weeklong missions, he conducted lab tests and helped doctors diagnose parasites and infectious diseases.


"He loved helping the people who were so appreciative. They would come from miles to get the treatment," Reynolds said. The trips inspired him to learn Spanish. He went on similar mission trips to the Ukraine.


Walsh did more to help people than just work in a lab. He prayed for everyone, even if he didn't know them, his daughter said.

"He was the biggest prayer warrior that I have ever known," she said. "I didn't have to worry about my dad praying for me."


Survivors also include his daughter Clare Walsh of Gainesville; brother Peter Walsh of London; four grandchildren; and two great-grandchildren.


Carey-Hand Cox Park Funeral Home, Winter Park is in charge of arrangements.
Eloísa Ruano González can be reached at egonzalez@orlandosentinel.com or 407-650-6673.

For anyone who is interested they are keeping a guest book with comments from people who knew him and you can check it out at:
http://www.legacy.com/guestbook/orlandosentinel/guestbook.aspx?n=anthony-walsh&pid=144195495

Sis and I flew down for the funeral.  Jordan was all ready to pack up the kids and go down too, but with them being so young and under the circumstances we decided it would be better that he take the kids to the Sessions family reunion, which was the plan before we got the unfortunate news.  I'm sure they enjoyed that much more. 

The viewing was nice, but it was a bit strange and somewhat surreal to see him laid in the casket.  I just wanted him to start laughing or tell one of his infamous stories, but he never did.  The casket itself had some significance.  It was a beautiful and very simple casket that was handmade by a Benedictine monk from a monestary in Indiana(?), where he had visited a few times.  Of course, there were also quite a few people who had known him in some way who had come to pay their respects.  Many of them knew of the grandchildren, whom he had talked about quite a bit.  Many of the people who had worked with him, had worked with him for tens of years, not just a couple, but decades.  A true testiment to what a great man he was.

The funeral service was also nice, the service was held at the church he was a member of and he was buried in a cemetary not far from the church.  Anne had found a bagpipper who played a few songs while at the cemetary and some butterflies that were released graveside.  Grandpa did get one final laugh and a story to tell when we were at the grave site.  The butterflies were in a box and kept on ice to keep them in a state of hibernation.  About an hour before release, you take them off the ice to warm them up, and just before release you shake the box somewhat vigorously to get them moving.  Well, Mom and Anne are getting ready to release the butterflies, they open the box and not one of them flies off.  So, they're tapping and shaking the box trying to get them to fly.  These butterflies were apparently still a little groggy, becuase no matter how much shooing Mom and Anne did these butterflies were staying put.  Those of us who really knew Grandpa started to chuckle because we all knew that he would have gotten a kick out of it.  Eventually they did fly off, but it took them a little while to get going. 

It was nice to see family and spend time with them even if it was because of a death in the family.  We even had the pleasure of seeing, and for some of us meeting for the first time, Kevin Walsh, who is Grandpa's brother's oldest son.  It was really great to meet you Kevin and I'm always hoping that there will be a day when I can "cross the pond" to visit the family there.  We all shared stories and laughs in memory of Grandpa.  The grandkids even got a chance to spend some time together at the beach.  We've never had the chance to do that. 

The world is truly a better place for having had you in it Grandpa and you will be greatly missed. 


While I was doing all that, Jordan took the kids up to the mountains for the Sessions reunion for a little camping, fishing, and visiting.  From what I understand everyone had a good time and the weather was cooperating for the most part.  Kaitlyn and Hannah played endlessly for a few days, but by the end they were all ready to come home.  Jordan didn't get too many pictures, but if you keep an eye out on Chelsey's blog (Otherside of the Mountain) and Carissa's blog (Carissa & Quintin Sitting in a Tree...) they'll have more pictures I'm sure. 

Shortly after everyone got back, Tyler started work on reshingling the roof of our house.  We had an insurance adjuster come look at the house after the hailstorm and we were just expecting to get some money to replace the few pieces of siding that had been damaged, but the guy said the roof had very minor damage and would give us money to replace it.  So, now being in a Catch22 situation, we decided to go ahead and replace the shingles on the whole roof and install vents in the roof of the garage.  It took Tyler and James almost a week to get it all finished, weather being a factor, and during that time the TV and Internet was down since both have dishes on the roof of the garage.  But it is done and we now have a new longer lasting roof and full use of our TV and internet again. 

Then last weekend Jordan and I had a weekend planned for a while.  We would go to Denver, catch a Rockies game, meet Dad and Carolyn for a day, have lunch, see the King Tut exhibit at the Denver Art Museum, have dinner, and then come home the next day. 

We were all set, tickets were bought, the kids were packed and at Grama and Papa's, and we were down the road on our way to a mini-vacation that was much needed.  Just before getting to Wright Jordan yells out "What the h*** is going on?"  Immediately my sense of panic rises.  Apparently the temperature guage jumped up and the truck is telling him there is a loss of engine power.  Of course Jordan then pulls over.  The temperature gauge immediatly drops.  Okay, a little weird, must be a loose wire somewhere.  Start back on down the road.  It did it again somewhere around Bill, pull over and it drops instantly again.  Keep going down the road, nothing happens until we get to Cheyenne, which is about 3 1/2 hours from home.  Gas up, use the bathroom, get a little snack, and head on back down the road.  About two miles later and still on the interstate running through Cheyenne the guage spikes, the A/C is shut off automatically, and engine power drastically reduced.  The truck is now shaking.  Pull off into the Flying J and turn everything off.  Weekend is now cancelled.  We were fortunate that we were able to get all of our money refunded from all the tickets that we had bought, hotel was cancelled without any problems. 

We called Carissa and Quitin to see if they were busy and if they could come get us.  Carissa came and picked us up.  We stayed at their place in Laramie, which is 45 minutes away.  Thanks you guys so much for putting up with us unexpectedly.  Next day, we headed back to Cheyenne, did a little shopping and met Jordan's Dad and brother, who brought a truck and trailer to haul ours back home.  Our truck is still at the dealership waiting for a part.  So much for the weekend we had planned.

Finally, the other day we had dinner with Jordan's family.  Grandma Jackson's brother, John, and his wife Lenore were in town visiting.  I'm not sure how long it's been since Jordan had seen them, but it was a first meeting for me and the kids.  It was really nice to get a chance to talk and visit with them.  Very nice people, but I haven't met anyone in Jordan's family who isn't.  They have been doing all and seeing all that you can in this area:  Devil's Tower, Mt. Rushmore (I think), a Coal Mine tour, etc.  The one thing that was a little crazy was, John had refered to his wife as "She who must be obeyed" at one point, which made me think of Grandpa Walsh who used to say that about Grandma.  I know some of you don't know where that comes from, but it'll give you something to Google if you so choose.  Which brings us back to the beginning of this post, and so I take my leave.  I have a first birthday to prepare for.