“Thank you for your service, Sir.” He served in the United States Army, as a Field Artillery soldier. And he served for decades in the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, helping preserve wildlife and wild lands for people to enjoy for generations to come.
In his later years, he took up painting and was good at it, too. He continued riding his bicycle, switching to a three-wheeled bike for safety and ease, until the final months of his life. He would ride the same route, by himself, every day that the streets were clear enough to ride.
He was easy to engage in good conversation and had a quick wit with a glimmer of spunk in his eye.
He and his wife lived many good years together, leading a relatively “normal-looking” life even when dementia slightly changed things. They lived in their own home, with tremendous support from their family and a few other folks like one of our lovely team members, until just a couple of months before he breathed his last.
I have been asked, “How do you deal with people dying so often?” My reply, “Well, it isn’t easy, because we love our companions, but it is ultimately a tremendous honor to help them finish well.”
This man; he lived well, and finished well, and we were honored to be just a small part of his good life.
Fondly,
Jill
©Jill Couch
