Missing my Dad

It's been a while since I last added an entry to my blog and a lot has happened since that time. It was a busy time for us in the studio but most importantly, on December 6, we lost my dad, Raymond Ziesemer. Mom and Dad moved up to Merrill a little over four years ago and they were very happy living here. They moved up from Milwaukee where they lived since they were married 63 years ago. Dad was 87 at the time of his death.

Ray was one of the good guys. As a father to three sons and a daughter, he always put the family first and he was always home. He was not one to "go out" at night. He stayed home and helped with the family. He was a good example of fatherhood. And, he loved my Mom.

He had a tradition, which goes back as far as I can remember, of stepping out a heart in the fresh snow and adding "I Love You," in the center of it, for my mother. Well that's exactly what he did on his last day, just before he died. It was his farewell to his wife of more than half of a century.

He had a good life. He was, for an 87 year old, in pretty good health. He could do almost anything that he wanted to do. He survived WWII. He beat cancer. He died in the arms of the woman he loved. It doesn't get much better than that.

We'll miss you , Dad. But we'll see you later.