Poppops

Oh, my. 2009 hasn't exactly started out as a banner year... Poppops passed away in his sleep on Sunday morning, and then yesterday Baby had to be put down suddenly... he had developed keroacidosis, which is a complication from his diabetes. If I had a spare $800-$2000 a month, it could have been rectified - however, I just don't have that much cash. The way I look at it, Poppops must've wanted a companion up in heaven. Who knew he even liked cats? So I haven't been doing that well as of late. I just have to hope that things will get better.

And I was asked to speak at Poppops' funeral - which was a definite no go. I can barely watch someone win a reality show (ANY reality show) without getting weepy - there is NO WAY I could get through speaking at the funeral. So instead, my father asked if I could write something, and then we would have someone else (probably my brother) read it. Since blogging is my forte, I've decided to try to write something out here, and if it works - I'll use it. If not - it stays forever in cyberspace. You all just get the benefit of my attempt to memorialize the most amazing man I have ever known: Poppops.

My earliest memories of Poppops are of Wellington Avenue - Sunday afternoons to be more specific. There didn't need to be a birthday, or a holiday, way back when we just always got together on Sunday afternoons. Sometimes we would go early enough to hear him sing in the choir at St. Francis - although the choir was really just his back-up group. Popopps' voice always carried over all the other singers' - his heart and soul resounded in every note. Back at the house, we would play the marble-horserace game, or hide and seek, or organized games like volleyball or badminton if it was nice out. Running bases was always a favorite too, with my dad and Uncle Joe pretending to be aggressive in their attempts to tag out the swarm of approaching grandkids. When we got inside, there was always a hunt for the jar of Planter's peanuts, and plenty of popcorn, sandwiches on fresh bakery bread, and coffee cake for everyone.

Poppops would always be at the center of whatever we were doing - he loved his family and he loved attention. When he had an audience, he would pop out his teeth and then ask the little kids to try it themselves. (I think we all have at one time or another.) He claimed he stood on his head every morning to get the blood flowing, and would prove it to us at the drop of a hat. He even challenged the Uncles to a push-up contest once - and won. Poppops would gather as many kids in the living room as he could, and wind up every single music box Grandma owned - creating a cacophony of sound that made us kids giggle in delight and Poppops smile devilishly while Grandma yelled over the noise "Leo! Oh, For heaven's sake!"

As we got older, Poppops still played an active role in all of our lives. The house on Wellington was gone, and most of us were too old for running bases, but he still delighted us with his stories and his obvious lust for life. Nothing was ever dull when Poppops was around. And he had an opinion on everything. On the subject of gun control - "Outlaw guns. Guns miss. If someone breaks into your house, you should have a flamethrower." On airline security - "Just have two planes for every flight. That way if there is a bomb in someone's luggage, no one would get hurt." Ummmm - the pilot, Poppops? "Yeah, well - pay him more."

I think the most important thing about Poppops is he never judged you. If you were family - he protected you as strongly as a lion protects their cub. No matter how many mistakes I made in my life, Poppops always supported me, helped me - loved me. He was never shocked at any turn of events, he took everything calmly and did what he could to help. His love for his family was fierce, and unconditional, and we all felt it in everything he ever did or said. Poppops set an example of what a true patriarch should be - and he could never be replaced. Whether he is with us here on earth, or watching over us from Heaven, Poppops will always be the backbone of our family. And I for one will continue to live my life knowing he is watching, and will always hold him close in my heart.

GOD BLESS POPPOPS!