Oscar (Ott) Franklin Brumley

Current mood: nostalgic
Tonight, Josh went with me to an event I had to go to for work in Dallas. Just as we were getting there, Debie, his step-mom, called to tell him his Papa was in the hospital. For you Midlothian friends, his Papa is the darling old man who worked at David's Supermarket forEVER! He hasn't worked there since not too long after they moved into the "new" store, but if you ever went there back in the day, you knew him! He had more girlfriends there and flirted with the rest just in case they might some day be interested.
Well, not only is he in the hospital, but he's bad. Real bad. He was originally diagnosed with pneumonia, and once they got that under control, they realized he had some sort of blockage in his heart, and the bottom half of it was not working. They immediately took him into surgery to put in a temporary pacemaker. While this was very successful, his kidney's then started shutting down. This has all taken place since late last night.
This 89 year old patriarch who we all admire to the bottom of our soul is an amazing man. I am not just saying that because he is near death. He is amazing. He was born in Oklahoma in 1918. He was one of 15 siblings and had to quit school 3 days into the 5th grade to pick cotton for his family's survival. He saw more in his life time than you (or I) can ever imagine. Rather than become hard and bitter and cold, he worked harder. He bought his land out between Midlothian and Cedar Hill (Ovilla, Texas) in the sixtys, built a house and has lived there ever since. He took care of his wife when she had cancer. He worked until he was over 80 years old as a grocery carrier. He is an institution. He is soft spoken and thrifty and an amazing cook, and like all great "Papa's", always has folding money to share with kids for good deeds! He has stories you can't believe. He likes beer. With breakfast. He is quiet and unassuming and easy going and laid back. You might think that is repetitive, but until you know him, you can't quite get the extent of his easy going and laid back-ness. He is funny and wise, not someone who would ever give unsolicited advice. (I admire people like that - I'm SO not like that!) But he does have opinions. Strong opinions. He will usually just keep them to himself unless you ask, though.
I guess all this is to say, I feel horribly selfish for being so sad, because he has had such a full and meaningful life. He is tired and weak. He will be taken off life support tomorrow, and if he is strong enough to make it, he will, and if not, we will let him go. As simple as that, the world will be missing one amazing father who has set an incredible example for 3 generations of men (so far...Hunter hasn't become a father, yet, but I have every faith it will continue.). I am heart broken and sad but at the same time happy to wish him well and thank him for everything he has done to contribute to Josh's life, my life and my children's lives. If, in 50 years, I can look around me and see a family who respects, admires and adores me as much as we ALL do him, I will consider myself very successful. So he is.
**Update** I am sad to say that after 3 weeks, on Wednesday, May 23rd, Papa passed away.