Aiphy 75. Farewell Dear Brother

By 1991 Alphy and Margurita had pretty well become ‘house bound’. Margurita left her husband only to go grocery shopping, or to attend church services. She would arrange for someone to stay with Alphy whenever she left the house. Alphy was no longer able to climb the outside steps by himself. The only time he ever left home was for an occasional doctor’s appointment, at which time Dennis would come to the couple’s home and assist his father down the steps. Helen and Roy would take communion to Alphy every Sunday after Mass. Helen was a lay minister at Palmer Road church.

Alphy experienced two more losses - the death of two half brothers, Freddy in 1991, and George in 1992. George had spent most of his adult life in Nova Scotia and was waked out of province, but there was a service held in Palmer Road to commemorate his life /death.

Freddy was waked in Palmer Road. Alphy could not attend the funeral, but he made a request to say his adieus to Freddy. He expressed that he did not want to go during visiting hours, but asked the family if Dennis would take him to the funeral home when the public would not be there. The family had also checked this out with Father Cormier, and it was arranged for Dennis to take his father to see Freddy one last time.

Dennis aided his father in and out of the car. When they arrived, he attentively assisted Alphy inside the funeral home. As they entered, the room was in complete silence, except for the echo of their footsteps on the hardwood floor, and the squeaky sound of Alphy’s walker. At first there was no exchange of words, as the two made their way slowly to the casket. Alphy managed to take off his hat, as he paid his last respects and said his good-bye silently to Freddy. Then he turned to his son, and what he expressed next almost brought Dennis to tears. He commented that he longed for the day when he too would be leaving this earth. He didn’t say this

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