There is no point in attempting to explain why we have not written to you - when you've been so very good in writing us - I really have no reason to give you - good intentions and negligence -
Catheryne Burke told us that Aunt Maggie had passed away - We were very sorry to hear this -
I never did tell my father as he was not well at the time. He developed massive cancer and we had no choice but to have him operated - and gave him a fighting chance - and fight he did, but the odds - at 86 - were against him. He was in his garden up to the minute he went to the hospital. He made history with his determination - and of course his great Irish wit to the very last endeared him to every member of the hospital staff.
We can only be grateful that he went as he did - bedridden only the ten days he was in the hospital - With his mind keenly alert always. He survived a serious bout of Pneumonia a year ago -
He was a great boy - and we miss him - as does the entire neighborhood - he was working in the yard every day - rain - sun - snow.
My mother is remarkable - She was hospitalized a week after Grampa's death - but is quite active and alert now. She is 84 this month.
We had a bad year entirely it seems. I had to have a disc operation - and this seems to require a length of time for recovery - of course I have to put undue strain on it - lifting and caring for our little Ned - who as you may remember has Cerebral Palsy - and requires total care. My father used to do so much for him - he was his "little chap" - as was our other C.P. boy - who passed away about 10 years ago at 8 - this boy, Ned, is now 15.
Our oldest boy, Johnny - is a senior in college. He's 21 now - and a real joy to us - with they Joyce wit and sense of humor. He will be home this week for the holidays -
My sister Cathy lives in Ohio, about 350 miles from us - She has one daughter and a very fine husband - and very successful in business.
My two brothers, Bob and Jim are here in town. Bob has four sons - Jim has 4 sons and 2 daughters and six grandchildren. So you can see Grampa may be gone, but the Joyce name will not run out around here. He always said he would live until his grandsons were big enough to be his bearers - and they were. He would have been proud of them - big handsome boys.
That is the last of his family - with Aunt Maggie and him having gone, isn't it? There are no more in Ireland - He was the youngest. They were certainly endowed with longevity - along with other attributes.
We are concerned very much over the Viet Nam situation - and the draft being stepped up - with all the boys in the age bracket - our boy will of course have to go in service as soon as he finishes school in June. I'm no hero - I hope he is sent anywhere else but there -
Forgive me for not writing - we wish you and all your family the best of Holidays.
Love Bea
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