Gravestone for H. Grant Perkins
Donation protected
My name is Ashley Perkins, and I am writing this today to ask for your help in raising money to get my dad this headstone.
My dad is H. Grant Perkins, and he is my hero. He died on September 27th in the hospital, after fighting so hard to stay with me, my mom and his beloved cat Molly. My dad was the best dad in the world. I truly believe that. He would sacrifice everything he had to help others, especially for his family. All the while I was growing up, we never had a lot of money, but my parents saved, and went without, to give me the best opportunities in life, and to give me a happy childhood. In 2000, my dad quit smoking cold turkey, after smoking for most of his life. When he did, he gained a great deal of weight, steadily increasing his health problems, and making old ones worse. He fought diabetes, heart disease, a mini stroke a few years ago, and multiple heart attacks, and always came out the other end ok. He was tough, and all he wanted was to stay with us.
This last hospital stay, so much illness caught up with him that he couldn't win. He still had hope though, and was strong for me and my mom, while we were scared and falling apart. He fought to come back to us right until the end. We love him more than words can say, and he loved us right back with everything he was.
My dad was a semi - pro baseball player, a little league coach, an artist, a cartoonist, an industrial salesman, a photographer, and an amazing father and husband. I also think he could have been a brilliant stand up comedian, as he was always cracking up everyone he was near. He was smart, loving, sensitive, and funny. He was also strong, brave, and resilient.
In his almost 75 years on this Earth, my dad touched so many lives, and did so much to help others. When he was still well enough, he went to the high school basketball tournaments every year and took pictures. He would then get the pictures developed on his own dime, which he would save up ahead of time to do, and then pass the pictures out to the kids, so that they would have pictures for their scrapbooks. He did this for me as well in all the sports I played - he never missed a game, he and mom would travel hours round trip to cheer for me, and he was my biggest fan.
The fact that he is gone still feels like a nightmare. I keep expecting to see him smiling and walking out of his room, to show me a new painting he was working on, or to make jokes. He had a snowman blanket he always had draped around his shoulders when it was chilly, and was famous for wearing it around the house like a superhero cape. I brought it with me to my apt, in case when he came out of the induced coma he might get cold and I would have it at the ready. When he didnt, I kept it at home, and sleep with it at night, much like a stuffed animal, as it smells like home and the comforting smell of a warm hug from dad.
My dad was a peanut butter addict, and loved the stock up snack in his bedroom like a squirrel storing up for winter. we would both tear up at commercials a lot, while mom would laugh at us. He sometimes would answer the telephone saying "Joe's bar and poolroom, Joe speaking" to get a laugh or throw someone off :). When a song he loved came on the radio, he would drum on the steering wheel and be silly to make us laugh. I could go on all day about how wonderful he was and how blessed I was to have him in my life. Mom and i will love him and miss him forever, with all our hearts. We know he is looking down from heaven smiling, and watching out for us.
Now I'm asking you to please help mom and i get a nice tombstone for my dad. We can't afford it on our own, and times are harder than ever now that he is gone. We would put "PERKINS" across the top, and my parents names, Date of birth and Date of death in the hearts, one for each of them. My mom's date of death would be left blank. "TOGETHER FOREVER" would be engraved at the bottom. My name and date of birth would go on the back.
If we went over our goal amount, any extra funds would go to help my mother, as it will be very hard financially now for her, and she takes care of both of my grandparents. I would like any extra to go to help her.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read all about my dad, and for considering donating to the cause. Any little bit helps! You have our sincere gratitude.
My dad is H. Grant Perkins, and he is my hero. He died on September 27th in the hospital, after fighting so hard to stay with me, my mom and his beloved cat Molly. My dad was the best dad in the world. I truly believe that. He would sacrifice everything he had to help others, especially for his family. All the while I was growing up, we never had a lot of money, but my parents saved, and went without, to give me the best opportunities in life, and to give me a happy childhood. In 2000, my dad quit smoking cold turkey, after smoking for most of his life. When he did, he gained a great deal of weight, steadily increasing his health problems, and making old ones worse. He fought diabetes, heart disease, a mini stroke a few years ago, and multiple heart attacks, and always came out the other end ok. He was tough, and all he wanted was to stay with us.
This last hospital stay, so much illness caught up with him that he couldn't win. He still had hope though, and was strong for me and my mom, while we were scared and falling apart. He fought to come back to us right until the end. We love him more than words can say, and he loved us right back with everything he was.
My dad was a semi - pro baseball player, a little league coach, an artist, a cartoonist, an industrial salesman, a photographer, and an amazing father and husband. I also think he could have been a brilliant stand up comedian, as he was always cracking up everyone he was near. He was smart, loving, sensitive, and funny. He was also strong, brave, and resilient.
In his almost 75 years on this Earth, my dad touched so many lives, and did so much to help others. When he was still well enough, he went to the high school basketball tournaments every year and took pictures. He would then get the pictures developed on his own dime, which he would save up ahead of time to do, and then pass the pictures out to the kids, so that they would have pictures for their scrapbooks. He did this for me as well in all the sports I played - he never missed a game, he and mom would travel hours round trip to cheer for me, and he was my biggest fan.
The fact that he is gone still feels like a nightmare. I keep expecting to see him smiling and walking out of his room, to show me a new painting he was working on, or to make jokes. He had a snowman blanket he always had draped around his shoulders when it was chilly, and was famous for wearing it around the house like a superhero cape. I brought it with me to my apt, in case when he came out of the induced coma he might get cold and I would have it at the ready. When he didnt, I kept it at home, and sleep with it at night, much like a stuffed animal, as it smells like home and the comforting smell of a warm hug from dad.
My dad was a peanut butter addict, and loved the stock up snack in his bedroom like a squirrel storing up for winter. we would both tear up at commercials a lot, while mom would laugh at us. He sometimes would answer the telephone saying "Joe's bar and poolroom, Joe speaking" to get a laugh or throw someone off :). When a song he loved came on the radio, he would drum on the steering wheel and be silly to make us laugh. I could go on all day about how wonderful he was and how blessed I was to have him in my life. Mom and i will love him and miss him forever, with all our hearts. We know he is looking down from heaven smiling, and watching out for us.
Now I'm asking you to please help mom and i get a nice tombstone for my dad. We can't afford it on our own, and times are harder than ever now that he is gone. We would put "PERKINS" across the top, and my parents names, Date of birth and Date of death in the hearts, one for each of them. My mom's date of death would be left blank. "TOGETHER FOREVER" would be engraved at the bottom. My name and date of birth would go on the back.
If we went over our goal amount, any extra funds would go to help my mother, as it will be very hard financially now for her, and she takes care of both of my grandparents. I would like any extra to go to help her.
Thank you so much for taking the time to read all about my dad, and for considering donating to the cause. Any little bit helps! You have our sincere gratitude.
Organizer
Ashley M Perkins
Organizer
Bangor, ME
