October 2009

Now that the holidays have passed, I feel like I have a minute to actually sit down and add some updates. We have had a very busy end to 2009. My Grandpa Bill Clark was diagnosed with a very aggressive cancer on Sept. 17, 2009. After much long, hard work and interviewing, scanning and creating...my cousin and I were able to finish his Life Book that I had started in October of 2008. We finished the book and ordered it the second week in October 2009. It arrived on Oct. 23rd and we gathered as much of the family together as possible to see Grandpa read his life story PUBLISHED! It was an amazing day for me to be able to see my hard work and determination pay off. He was already too sick to do much other than sleep, eat, and hold a small conversation, but I know that he loved his book. He was too weak to read the whole book on that day, but Madilyn and I came over that Friday and went through the entire book as we all snuggled with him in his bed! It was a moment that I will never forget and a time that brings tears to my eyes each time I reflect on it. These are the moments that make me so thankful to be a Heritage Maker and keeper for my family. After a short battle with his cancers, he passed away that week on October 29, 2009, leaving behind his wife, Iona, his 4 children, 10 grandchildren, 22 great-grand children and 1 great-great grandson. He was a man of very little words and lots of opinions, unless you talked about reading, politics, or WWII. He was a pilot, a handyman and an important part of our family. I will miss having him over for dinner and all the wonderful moments he cherished playing with Madilyn. His death was a hard one for me, but I am thankful that I have captured his life story for all to read. I am excited to have a piece of him in our home, so that his little Sweetheart Madilyn will always remember him, too.