My great-uncle died today, and the end of an era.

My great-uncle Walter died today, he was 96 years old and the last long hold-out from my grandparents' generation. My grandma, who was his little sister, died 8 years ago and the two of them were the last of their siblings. All my other grandparents and their siblings were gone by 2010. So Walter was the last one. I'm not sad for him because he was very old and had cancer and dementia, and he believed in Heaven so I'm sure he's there. I'm sad for his kids and grandkids and great-grandkids, for sure.

He and Grandma were very close, so I think it's stirring up some of the grief of losing her, and also just that sad feeling of how fast time goes by and how fast families and generations come and go. I have been interested in genealogy for years, encouraged by Grandma who was passionate about it, and it seems strange that she and her family are all gone now. I don't have any deep thoughts here, I was just taken aback by how emotional I've been since Walter's daughter posted on FB that he had passed.

I'm waiting to hear when and where the memorial service will be...I'm expecting it will be in Missouri since that's where Aunt Lois was buried. I'm thinking I may be making a trip up to Ohio to take my mom and dad out to the service. Uncle Walter was like a second dad to my dad, and my dad isn't in a good condition to drive himself out there after battling brain cancer for more than two years.