Due to the holiday, I have been phoning around and have not been receiving any answers so I decided to resort to this manner.
This morning my mother found my father had died during the night, evidently in his sleep. He had been suffering his entire life, from the time he was born (he was baptized in the kitchen sink), to his 80th year inclusive. He was suffering from heart, Parkinson's disease and his entire life suffered severe asthma.
I wanted to place this in his memorium, as it was HE who taught me to appreciate the ancients.
As I was writing my EXODUS statement here in our site: my mother found him.
It is The Rev. Robert Martin Feist, who taught me about the faith mentioned within the Exodus statement.
His favorite poem:
"How soon hath Time, the subtle thief of youth,
Stol'n on his wing my three-and-twentieth year!
My hasting days fly on with full career,
But my late spring no bud or blossom shew'th.
Perhaps my semblance might deceive the truth
That I to manhood am arriv'd so near;
And inward ripeness doth much less appear,
That some more timely-happy spirits endu'th.
Yet it be less or more, or soon or slow,
It shall be still in strictest measure ev'n
To that same lot, however mean or high,
Toward which Time leads me, and the will of Heav'n:
All is, if I have grace to use it so
As ever in my great Task-Master's eye." --John Donne --
His loving daughter,
Barbara