Goodbye

My Dad died peacefully Monday November 8th at 1:38AM after almost a 4 year bout with cancer. It started in his prostate but spread. At several points, the doctors would say he could have 6 months to live (why is it always 6 months?) but he kept going on. For the most part, with pain killers, he got along ok. He went through some threatments and the side effects were bearable. He even got into some chemo that wasn't so bad. Then last year he had some type of chemo that in his words, "nearly killed" him. He basically stopped eating for 40 days.

He bounced back but there was going to be no more chemo for him. Gradually, he became more and more bed-ridden but still, he was relatively ok and usually was in pretty good spirits. Then, a month or so ago he exhibited some signs that either the illness or the drugs were getting to his mind and that's when I think he decided to leave this world.

So he stopped eating and about a week later was gone.

His memorial was exactly what I would like to have for myself. Not a gloomy affair but friends and family talking about him and a few nice speeches which included funny stories. Also, rather than have it end up at a pawnshop my Dad had given his old trombone to a proficient high schooler who played an emotional rendition of Leonard Cohen's Hallelujah.

Love ya, Dad.

A few of my memories that always give me a laugh were his references to any post-60's band as "degenerate rock pukes", his answer to any "Where is my..." question of "If it was up your ass, you'd know", and when I was a little kid, when I would wake up for school, I'd be in a stupor and he'd gently guide me out of my room "here you go, Jimmy" and into the wall.

By the way, I was planning on giving up this blog about a year ago but since my Dad liked to read it, I kept it going. So I'm gonna let it go and write the family stuff in my written journal... yes, an actual book. But in order to keep some kind of connection with friends, hwever tenuous that may be these days, I'm seriously considering looking into the Facebook thing that's in all the papers.

James Patrick Keough, Jr., 1940 - 2010

James P. Keough, Jr., 70, passed away at home on November 8, 2010 following a long battle with cancer.
Born August 29, 1940 in Duluth, MN, to James and Catherine Keough, deceased.
He attended Holy Rosary Grade School in Duluth and graduated from Campion Jesuit High School in Prairie du Chien, WI, 1958. He attended the University of Notre Dame for two years and graduated from the University of MinnesotaDuluth in 1962 with a degree in Business Administration.

He was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the US Air Force in 1963, retiring as a Lieutenant Colonel in 1985. Upon retirement from the military, he joined the Boeing Company on the International Space Station Program and worked at Kennedy, Marshall and Johnson Space Centers, retiring in Cape Canaveral in 2000.
Jim is survived by his wife, Barbara; son, James (Kerry) and grandchildren, James Liam, Erin Ansley and Finn Patrick; daughter, Suanne (Jason) Register; stepchildren, Jeff (Cheryl) Ellis, Leigh Ellis, and Susie Ellis (Dale) Camposano; stepgrandchildren, Heath Ellis, Drew Montes, and Cole, Victoria and Noelle Nixon; sister, Mary Patricia (Erkki) Aspelin; and brother, Kevin (Pam); nephews, Mark and Erik (Karen) Aspelin.

A celebration of life in honor of Jim is being planned for family and friends. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim's memory may be made to Wuesthoff Brevard Hospice, 8060 Spyglass Hill Road, Viera, Florida 32940.