Easter Sunday and my dad

Today is Easter! What a beautiful day too. The skies are overcast so the temperature in north Texas is not too hot. Birds are singing outside my open window. And, today is the day we celebrate Christ's resurrection.

I have a profound belief in the resurrection and eternal life. Thank heaven, literally, for this knowledge that we will all live again. I love my Savior and appreciate what he did for me and all of us.

Two weeks ago today my father fell while trying to get out of his wheel chair. As a result, he broke his hip. When the medical staff taking care of him found his injury, the performed surgery to alleviate the pain he was in and unfortunately, he never really came out of it. He sweetly, and quietly, passed away with my brother Gary sitting next to him in the hospital room.

The funeral was on Thursday, the 6th of April. It wasn't all that easy for my family to get there. On Tuesday, I inadvertantly stepped on my glasses and smashed them flat, fortunately they didn't break (yet) and they were able to be straightened so I could wear them. On the same day, tornadoes ravished the DFW metroplex which jeopardized our flight to Salt Lake City on Thursday. 65 of American Airlines' planes were damaged and hundreds of flights cancelled. We were able to go standby the day before and even sat in first class. Our struggles were not over however. On Friday, Kim, Logan, and I woke up in a hotel that wind had knocked out power. We had no electricty and no heated water for showers. Also, my talk that I was to give in just a few hours, was still on my computer and I had no way of printing it. That morning was spent jotting down notes that I could remember and that was what I based my talk on. It also snowed that night and dropped into the 30's.

Everything at the viewing and the funeral went remarkably well. My dad was burried in Salt Lake City Cemetery with an honor guard from the disabled veterans. It was quite a tribute and one that my dad, Clinton Hale, definitely deserved.

My dad was the most amazing man I've ever known. He was humble and quiet. He went about his career and his church jobs with a dedication I've never seen in anyone else. He was my example, my friend, my home teaching companion as a youth, my mentor and teacher. He was my father.

Dad, I'll always love and miss you. Godspeed!

Your son Chris.