Burial of Kenneth Silva
Donation protected
My father loved to farm.
I can remember the summer of 2007, when he had one of his biggest tomato crops. He spent every day down in the patch, working up and down the rows to keep the weeds down and monitor the plants growth. My siblings and I spent lots of time with him in the field, our feet turning black from the dirt. That summer, my dad lost most of the excess weight he'd been holding for years. He slept down in the field, on a mattress next to the pump house, and had our dog (Spot) down there with him to deter other animals. I can remember the summer equinox, the longest day of the year, and how we stayed out in the field until the sun began to set. The wind was blowing, and the heat was pleasant. And there, with us three kids, in the tomato patch, was where my father liked to be the most.
My father was always larger than life to me. He was my first hero. He will always, in a way, be my hero.He learned a lot from all three us kids. And we learned a lot from him. He always had something to say, and could plant himself into almost any conversation. Those who knew him, know he was passionate about politics, and could constantly be heard ranting at his radio as he listened to the days news. In fact, if there was anything my father did well, it was rant and rave.
My father was many things in his life. But his biggest role was as father, to me and my siblings.
And we lost him too soon.
On October 16, he died unexpectedly. My cousin found him on the ground behind the family house, having suffered from a heart attack. Paramedics tried to revive him. But he didn't come back.
Dad didn't have life insurance, and he had little money to his name. And as with unexpected events, there's unplanned costs. And (if you're lucky enough to have not had to look into the cost of dying lately) the costs are high.
He has a place in the local cemetry, a spot in the family plot, paid for a long time ago by my late grandmother. However, getting him into the ground is up in the two thousands. Cremation (one of the cheaper routes, and one he wasn't opposed to) is almost two thousand dollars. As a family, we don't know if we have to have a proper funeral, because that would cost another five to six thousand dollars. My grandmother (Ken's mother) died in April, and the family is still trying to pay off her funeral and burial costs.
None of us want my father to not be laid to rest properly. We all want him to have a final resting place, whether it be through cremation, or put into the ground in the family plot. We all want him to have a marker. But all of that costs more money than we can come up with.
I've set up this page in hopes that I can give my father a proper burial. I know that everyone has their struggles, and it's rough out there right now, but any donation (big or small) will help.
I can mostly only offer profound gratitude if you do decide to donate, but I do have another way of saying thank you. I've been making small heart pillows since I was young (some with lavender, some with a pocket to use as a tooth fairy pillow) and if you'd like one as a way of thanks, please click that option when you donate, and I will contact you about specifics. I have some variations, and would gladly make one for you and send it to you.
You can also donate via PayPal, and if that suits you more, please let me know, and I'll set that up for you.
Thank you,
Isabel
I can remember the summer of 2007, when he had one of his biggest tomato crops. He spent every day down in the patch, working up and down the rows to keep the weeds down and monitor the plants growth. My siblings and I spent lots of time with him in the field, our feet turning black from the dirt. That summer, my dad lost most of the excess weight he'd been holding for years. He slept down in the field, on a mattress next to the pump house, and had our dog (Spot) down there with him to deter other animals. I can remember the summer equinox, the longest day of the year, and how we stayed out in the field until the sun began to set. The wind was blowing, and the heat was pleasant. And there, with us three kids, in the tomato patch, was where my father liked to be the most.
My father was always larger than life to me. He was my first hero. He will always, in a way, be my hero.He learned a lot from all three us kids. And we learned a lot from him. He always had something to say, and could plant himself into almost any conversation. Those who knew him, know he was passionate about politics, and could constantly be heard ranting at his radio as he listened to the days news. In fact, if there was anything my father did well, it was rant and rave.
My father was many things in his life. But his biggest role was as father, to me and my siblings.
And we lost him too soon.
On October 16, he died unexpectedly. My cousin found him on the ground behind the family house, having suffered from a heart attack. Paramedics tried to revive him. But he didn't come back.
Dad didn't have life insurance, and he had little money to his name. And as with unexpected events, there's unplanned costs. And (if you're lucky enough to have not had to look into the cost of dying lately) the costs are high.
He has a place in the local cemetry, a spot in the family plot, paid for a long time ago by my late grandmother. However, getting him into the ground is up in the two thousands. Cremation (one of the cheaper routes, and one he wasn't opposed to) is almost two thousand dollars. As a family, we don't know if we have to have a proper funeral, because that would cost another five to six thousand dollars. My grandmother (Ken's mother) died in April, and the family is still trying to pay off her funeral and burial costs.
None of us want my father to not be laid to rest properly. We all want him to have a final resting place, whether it be through cremation, or put into the ground in the family plot. We all want him to have a marker. But all of that costs more money than we can come up with.
I've set up this page in hopes that I can give my father a proper burial. I know that everyone has their struggles, and it's rough out there right now, but any donation (big or small) will help.
I can mostly only offer profound gratitude if you do decide to donate, but I do have another way of saying thank you. I've been making small heart pillows since I was young (some with lavender, some with a pocket to use as a tooth fairy pillow) and if you'd like one as a way of thanks, please click that option when you donate, and I will contact you about specifics. I have some variations, and would gladly make one for you and send it to you.
You can also donate via PayPal, and if that suits you more, please let me know, and I'll set that up for you.
Thank you,
Isabel
Organizer
Isabel Silva
Organizer
