Man, this is hard.

I am just devastated.

My dad, my protector, the sane and calm family member, is no longer with us.  

I've been so focused on clearing out his offices and dissolving his business that I have been able to keep my emotions rather in control.  But, man it hurts.

My chest has been hurting for the past 10-ish days.  It just feels tight.  My shoulders are curling forward because I keep slumping over papers and tears.  My eyes are swollen from reading through documents and crying, and from trying not to cry.  

I just need to write this down because, although I am mourning the loss of my dad, I am even more frightened of forgetting him.  I am so scared of losing the sound of his voice.  I am terrified of not passing on his dreamer legacy to my kid(s?).  They will never know their Grandpa.  God, that makes me just so sad.  

But I am thankful.  I am thankful that I was able to get to know my dad, the man, as I became an adult.  I am thankful that he passed on the family legacy of teaching me to fly.  I am thankful that I was able to hear him laugh, see him beam proudly at me, and to read the Christmas letters that he wrote specifically for me (and each of his kids) from the time I was in high school.  I am thankful for my dad.

And I am so sad that he is gone.

In Memory

These are photos from an excellent photographer friend of my dad's of the missing man flight formation Sean Tucker led at the end of the memorial service yesterday.  It is the point at which I totally lost it.  

Thank you Kate for such fantastic photos of  an honoring memory of my dad.

http://bigsurkate.wordpress.com

I just can't believe it.

I love this guy!

My Dad...

Local business owner Jim Cheatham died suddenly in his home early Wednesday morning.  Cheatham experienced a minor heart attack and corrective angioplasty one week prior. 

 

Cheatham was recently in the news regarding how his business was devastatingly affected by the economic crisis.  A significant factor of his business collapse was the abruptly canceled helicopter contract with the Monterey County Sheriff’s Department.  Cheatham was left with massive overhead for the nearly one Million dollar specialized aircraft. Just another victim of major budget cuts.

 

Born in Laveen, AZ on January 5, 1942, Cheatham later served as an aircraft mechanic and helicopter pilot in the United States Army, completing tours in both Viet Nam and South Korea.

 

Jim Cheatham moved to the Salinas area in 1967, working for Clevenger’s Air Service.  He purchased the company in late 1970 and changed the name to Verticare Helicopters in 1971.  During his 42 years flying out of the Salinas Airport, Cheatham utilized his piloting skills performing in airshows, cropdusting, aerial photography and filming, charter services, and flight training.

 

Cheatham is survived by his significant other, Cheryl Harris (Big Sur, CA); sister Janice Shoemaker (Boerne, TX); children Jodi Serrano (Sacramento, CA), Captain Amanda Evans (Osan AFB, South Korea), Stacey Wilson (Soledad, CA), Kylie Pachuilo (Salinas, CA), Amy Hayes (Yukota NAS, Japan), and Burton Cheatham (Salinas, CA); and seven grandchildren. He will be greatly missed, as he was adored by his family.

 

A Celebration of Jim’s life will be held in the Verticare Hangar (240 Mortensen Ave) at the Salinas Airport on Monday, March 16^th at 11:00am. 

 

Memorial contributions may be made to the James T. Cheatham Memorial Fund at First National Bank.

Peas? More?

Finds me in the office.

Lures me into the kitchen.

Looks at me with those adorable blues.

Says "peas" (well, kinda)

Tell me, would you have given her more?