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Hi,
Fray - great story! Here's a re-post of a thread I posted 2 yrs. ago. This will always be my Best Boxster story...
A Great Man, a True Enthusiast, the Guy who turned me on to cars; My Father, died today.
He was 80 years old and had gone to Columbus, OH over the Memorial Day Weekend to visit My Sister and her Family and while there was run through a routine series of tests at Riverside Hosp. where both My Sister and Brother-in-Law are on Staff.
These tests revealed several serious conditions including Diabetes, Coronary complications and Bone Cancer. He was admitted and began therapies including Chemo for the Cancer. Over the past 5 weeks, his condition declined to the point where his body could no longer resist the onslaught of disease and he died quietly and peacefully tonite at 7:30pm with My Mom and siblings at his side. He had lapsed into a septic coma the day before.
Fortunately, we all had a last visit this past weekend in which he was lucid and truly happy to see the Family gathered together. I even managed to smuggle in a Bison Rib dinner and glass of wine from Ted's Market BBQ, a restaurant which he loved. Some of his last words to me were about the Boxster we had just purchased in April, and the mods I had been doing.
We had lived in Europe through much of My Childhood, where My Father headed the Int'l. Div. of 3M. While there, My Father owned several wonderful cars including a couple Maserattis, three Jags and a much loved 356A, all of which he wrenched on himself. I remember many Saturday mornings, handing him wrenches and him showing me the workings of these cars.
Some of My best memories of My Father involve cars. My earliest, at 8 years old, being a trip to Zurich in the 356. Winding through the mountain roads, sun shining, I just marvelled at My Father smoothly shifting gears in total harmony with the machine. My last true memory of My Father was a Sunny day in May when I brought the Boxster over to his house to take him for a drive. In retrospect, sort of full circle.
He was amazed at the quality of the Boxster and it's performance, he especially liked the sound of that flat 6, but said it didn't really compare to My Esprit, which he also loved. He did much to encourage My interest throughout the years, and most of what I know about cars, I learned from him.
The World is diminished by one. But, I will always treasure the times we spent driving many different, wonderful cars through the years or simply sharing the same space under the hood.
I will miss him terribly.
Happy Motoring Dad!... Jim'99
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