Barbara J. Hamby

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A Cruise and a Farewell

In the middle of May, we will board a cruise ship in Seattle and head North to Alaska. For six plus days we will travel the Inland Passage, stopping here and there for sightseeing. This has been a goal of mine for many years. For one reason or another, I never get around to it before. Now I’m really looking forward to this trip and hope that all goes well.

Al has been there before, but fortunately for me, he is not the type of traveler who will never take a trip twice. Filled with curiosity, he knows there is always more to see.

Having the cruise to look forward to takes some of the pain away that I’m sharing with my daughter at the loss of her father, my first husband. She arranged a lovely memorial service for him, which was held this afternoon at her church. It was extremely difficult for her and hard for me to watch her suffering. But she was able to share with her friends the relationship she had with her father and a lot of information about his life. She wrote, and read, a very touching last letter to him. Less than a glowing tribute, it was honest, loving and forgiving.

There is still the inurnment at Willamette National Cemetery to take place. As a veteran of World War II Army of Occupation, he will be honored and laid to rest there. I hope that will be easier for both of us.