by Mary Joan
It was eight years ago this Thanksgiving that my husband Joe received the news of ”small cell lung cancer.” We had five months that became the gift that I treasure.
Joe was a retired Lt. Col. in the Army, an engineer, father of our seven children, Irish stamp expert, proud grandfather of 13 grandchildren and a friend to hundreds of folks all over the world because of his philatelic involvement.
He was a busy person, but in those five months we were focused completely on each other and they are the gifts I remember.
When Joe was dying, we talked about what it might be like. I gave him the image of our little girl, Maureen, who had died at five years old, running to meet him and taking him by the hand to heaven.
I keep that image forever in my heart.