Family Patriarch

Within a month the Cheney/Evans family lost two very dear men, my dad's cousin Chuck and uncle James. Both men were in their 80's and lived long, wonderful lives so with their passings came two celebrations of life. Also with their passing a new elder family member has taken over the role of family patriarch. Yes, my dad is now at the helm of Cheney/Evans Family, good lord we are in trouble......

Dad's cousin Chuck Winslow enjoying the cabin deck during my Grandpa Don's 85th birthday celebration. Chuck spent his adult life in Phoenix so over the past ten years during trips to Phoenix to see my dad I always looked forward to seeing Chuck. When seeing Chuck he always shared kind words and a smile. Chuck was an amazingly handsome man who until the last couple of years my dad would run into regularly at their gym. When the rest of our family was sluggish after a classic night of Evans family over-indulgence Chuck was hiking Camelback!

My great-uncle James was the character of the family (well maybe he took second to his wife Vivian (above)). As a family we spend many hours telling stories about Jim and the rest of the time listening to Jim tell stories. Jim taught us some of the important lessons in life such as how to play cards, drink whiskey and that when you find something you like always buy two of them. Jim had a love for catalog shopping and his purchases make me smile just thinking about. Vivian has promised that when she finds the camouflage trailer hitch toilet seat she will send it to my dad. I wonder who gets the second one.....

Speaking of Vivian please keep her in your thoughts as she discovers life without the man she was married to for 63 years!!!!!

While we are talking family, my dad has spent this winter scanning and organizing old family photographs. He learned today that his grandma's middle name was Amelia AND she was born, raised and married in Chicago! Of course a granddaugther would remember her grandmother's middle name but what can you expect from a grandson? This was proved when I named off both of my grandmother's middle names (of course one of them Mary Ruth went by both first and middle names so that may not count) and Mark looked clueless.....