Very early Friday morning, May 28, the phone rang at about 1:30am. I was awake on the couch with Abbey...Todd asleep on the loveseat. I had a feeling it was bad news as his father had taken a turn for the worse and I had gone to see him that afternoon to basically say good-bye.
It was his wife Kathy, Todd's stepmother and Charlie's companion of 20 years. She told me he was gone and I gave the phone to Todd. It was all surreal. Todd got up and went to work and I brought the kids to see him later. It's like little kids know...he didn't want his father out of his sight. Todd went to walk out the door and Adam flipped out. Eventually, Todd got in the car with us and we drove around and let him out after a bit to minimize Adam getting sad. It worked...mostly.
For Todd, I can only imagine. For me, it's like something is missing. When Todd and I became "official", the first thing he wanted to do was introduce me to his dad. We met at dinner for Canale's and I dumped my glass of red wine all over him. He made a joke...like father, like son, always making me laugh. Todd went to the bathroom or something and Charlie leaned in and said "Todd's a good man". And I said "I know".
He told me later before we got married he was glad Todd had me and Adam...that he was the happiest he had ever seen him. I told Charlie I was glad he raised such a responsible, hard-working and caring son who takes such good care of us. In typical Charlie style, he said that he couldn't take credit...it was all Todd's mom's doing. That he takes credit for Todd being mean and miserable, just like him. :)
Charles Lewis Butler...May 29, 1926 - May 28, 2010. He almost made his goal of being 86 to become the oldest living Butler...
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and he will live on in the memories you and Todd share, as well as all the pictures of the kids with him. They will ask "who is this" and you guys can tell them stories of the loving man they called grandpa! <3
ReplyDeleteHope you guys are doing ok, I'm thinking about you all everyday!