Maitland M. Kelley, my 98 year old father, passed away on June 12, 2012, after suffering a stroke 12 days earlier.
In his time, he was a railroad conductor, a skilled woodworker, a hunter, a gardener and a chef. He was a ballroom dancer and fancied himself a gentleman. The man from Caribou, MN, loved hiking through the deep woods with nothing but a bandana to swat away the mosquitoes.
But most of all, he was a family man. A screaming infant would fall asleep in his arms and every non-working moment was devoted to loving and entertaining his wife and 6 children.
His death was a deeply spiritual and inspirational time. I was awed by the strength he showed in his final 12 days. He was a brave man whose last act was to comfort his children by moving on to eternal life with grace.
I was trying to think about how he would want to be remembered. The family danced while we washed dishes and we danced while we swept floors. So I hope you will all be inspired to dance! Waltz with your loved one or do the hokey-pokey with a friend. But please, just dance!
