Facing Father’s Day without Dad

Facing Father’s Day without Dad

by Bruce Hartley
Life Columnist

The month of June brings numerous holidays and events. This year will be the first Father’s Day since my Dad passed away. Father’s Day brings all kinds of thoughts and memories. One thing that comes to my mind is the fact that he was victim of Alzheimer’s and lived with it for many years. His life was cut short due to his illness and we all miss him, but I know he is in a better place. His mind is finally free from the prison of Alzheimer’s.

As a son of an Alzheimer’s patient, I wonder if I will face the same disease as I grow older. I also wonder how the world will view my partner Bill and me as we grow older. One thing that my partner and I have done is to purchase insurance policies that will cover our time in assisted living facilities if needed. 

We have also made each other beneficiaries of our life insurance policies. These are just a few important things that LGBTQ people can do to prepare for the future. There are other documents that we need to do to ensure that we will be given the rights we deserve as we grow older.

Our world has changed greatly over the past year, but we continue to witness push back from groups that don’t agree with our civil rights. I believe the future will be better for LGBTQ people, but we must remember that it is our responsibility to file proper paperwork and inform our families and friends about our wishes in case of chronic illness or death. It is important that LGBTQ people plan ahead so our wishes and rights are handled properly as we age.

My father was a good man and he taught me many things including how to provide for a family. He was a strong man and often worked second jobs to make sure our family had what we needed to be healthy and happy. I realize that not everyone had a father like mine. No matter what kind of father you had, you can learn what was good or bad and apply that to our life. 

I dedicate this column to my Father, Mr. Bob Hartley who is fishing with the angels above the clouds this year on Father’s Day. His memory is finally clear again and I know he is looking over me from above.   

The Gayly - 06//19/2017 @ 8:51 a.m. CDT.