From a letter Tom wrote to his friend Rob, Feb 23, 1974

Grandpa beaver died Tuesday night in Michigan. He’s the grandfather I visited last year at the veteran’s hospital. Recently, we’d been hearing he was sick and in critical condition, so Tuesday evening my father and his brother Rex decided to drive up there and be with him for a few hours.

I didn’t think he would die. I said to Dad, “Do you think you and Uncle Rex being there will help him?”

“It’ll help him die better, Tom,” my father said.

It was dark when Dad left for Michigan. About an hour later, we heard that Grandpa had died. Dad returned home the next evening. The wake was held today. The funeral is scheduled for tomorrow. Reverend Rinne from the Emmaus Home will conduct the service.