RIP Frank

[steveadl]

Frank was a good man, hard working, loyal, and an all round great guy. After 45yrs in the bank was the third longest serving member nationwide. Retired July last year at the age of 65. Didn't have much planned, but he always talked about seeing Italy again though his wife was reluctant as it would leave the grandchildren without a babysitter.

Died last week of a heart attack age 66, a year after retiring. Never got to see Italy again.

RIP Frank.

Timely reminder for us to enjoy life as we go and not focus solely on the end goal - which for some may never happen.

 

[Perp]

Timely reminder for us to enjoy life as we go and not focus solely on the end goal - which for some may never happen.

That is a sad story, but unfortunately all too common...

I don't get grandparents who put off their own travel or other plans to babysit their grandchildren! It's true that both hubby's parents and my parents are interstate, so it's not an option anyway, but I wouldn't feel right even accepting an offer from grandparents to be carers for my children, for fear of exactly this: that they'd feel obliged to be available. They've already raised a family; now it's our turn.

 

[Pushka]

Hey Steve, that is a nice thing to do. I posted a similar RIP notice in a stock forum because I knew the family and friends of Jack, son of a well known real estate identity in Adelaide, a fit healthy 18 year old who within a day died from meningococcal disease a few months ago, and boy, did I get slammed as being overly self-indulgent. I never quite felt the same posting on that forum again. But to me, if someone who was fit, healthy, active and a school prefect could lose their life in a day, then surely that was a message to us all to enjoy every day we get.

 

[Player]

This is not a trial run

A timely reminder indeed Steve.

Sometimes we get too busy designing a life that we overlook the fact that also "we should actually live it."

The life we have now is not the practise life, or the dress rehearsal........it's the real thing.

Yesterday is History,
Tomorrow is a Mystery,
Now is all we have, that's why it's called The Present
........sometimes we forget to open the Gift

 

[GreatPig]

We had similar at work a year or so ago. Our storeman, who was in his early 60s, suddenly died of a heart attack one night at home.

And many years ago, a guy I worked with who was in his late 50s had a mate (similar age) who he played golf with every week. The guy I worked with got a similar wake-up call one day when the mate suddenly dropped dead in front of him on the golf course (also a heart attack).

For myself, this was brought home recently when my brother-in-law (52) was diagnosed with cancer and passed away just a few months later. He went from no symptoms at all to gone in just a few months. The primary cancer was renal cancer, a relatively rare form with symptoms unlikely until it's too late, as in his case. While I'm not a religious person, I can't help but think: there but for the grace of God go I. Life really is a lottery.

GP

 

[marg4000]

I had my wake-up call age 35 when a close friend of the same age, and with children the same ages as mine died of leukaemia.

I have NEVER taken life for granted since, and it certainly puts a new slant of how I look at the world.
Marg

 

[clk0]

I have a colleague many years ago who is a "healthy freck". He will say something when he saw me eating McDonalds ect. He always exercise, no unhealthy food etc, then was hospitalised for cancer and passed away in the hospital shortly afterwards.

Life is short, appreciate life, spend more time with your family now not later....

 

[aussierogue]

Guys lets be fair with old Frank - he may not have seen italy but maybe he had a great life. If i died now i would hate to think that people thought I didnt live a full life because I never scaled everest.

After seeing 45 different countries I reckon looking after family and friends is far more rewarding in the long run. Good on ya Frank for putting family first and RIP!

Stevead nice post im sure he appreciates the sentiment.

 

[steveadl]

Very true AR, he had a good life and loved his family. Whilst he didn't get to see Italy again, I'm sure he enjoyed the last year with his grandchildren immensely.