James R. Chupp, RIP

My father died today. He was a child of the Depression, a scrapper, a tough guy. He worked hard for his family. He went to war and fought in places like Guadalcanal and Okinawa, with the Marines. He earned a Purple Heart. He came home and took a civil service job. He was a logistics master. He was there for me and my sister, and always made sure we had all of what we needed and some of what we wanted. He loved dogs, especially bulldogs. He liked Zane Grey westerns. He was by all accounts a rationalist. He's being cremated. He said he didn't want any funeral - he doesn't get a say in that, really.

This is my funeral for him, in part. This post.

I wish I could've given him a proper Viking funeral, with all the pomp and circumstance, and a 1,001 drunken warriors singing off-key at the top of their lungs, "The Devil's Mad and I am Glad, Glory Halleluah!" Which was one of the songs he used to sing to taunt us when we were ticked off at him.

I loved him. I didn't like him much, but I loved him as much as any little boy can love his Dad. And now I choose to remember all of the parts where we didn't conflict, where I respected him, where he amazed me with his abilities and his powers of fixing things, making things go.

And that which is remembered, lives.

categories News | SambearPoet | datetime August 22, 2008 5:37 pm

  • By starrchilde, August 22, 2008 @ 7:32 pm

    Much love, comfort and peace to you.

  • By the Fierce, August 22, 2008 @ 8:09 pm

    May the stories you have to tell about him become legends, all the good intensified, all the bad laid to rest. It's too soon after my own father's death to say more.

  • By Hope, August 22, 2008 @ 8:14 pm

    **hugshugs**

  • By Dana, August 23, 2008 @ 4:12 am

    Sorry to hear about your loss. I hope that all of you find comfort and peace in the days to come. *hugs*

  • By SambearPoet, August 23, 2008 @ 10:54 am

    Christina, thank you.
    Hope: *big hugs back* I love how you're always there for me.
    Dana: thank you, I am still not sure how this will affect me, but I am working through it.
    Fierce: thank you - that is just the way I plan to grieve.

  • By kpmomma, August 23, 2008 @ 7:38 pm

    So sorry to hear of your loss! I'm drinkin' and singin' at the top of my lungs for you!

  • By Natalie, August 25, 2008 @ 2:20 pm

    Sorry to hear. :( Sounds like he was a good man. Best to you and your family.

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