Remembering

DaddyO!!!!!

I thought you might like this picture...you always had a thing for fire trucks!!!

It is hard to believe that you have been gone for a whole year. I still find myself just about to call you sometimes to tell you something about my day or something the kids did. I even dialed your cell number once...that was hard. Even though it was hard, there were some good days too. I have been able to start school, and visit with our family. Going to Tenn this year was bittersweet...I had to say goodbye to you all over again but I also was able to see your house, and I was able to feel your presence. I was nervous at first because I didnt know if it wouldnt feel like it did before, but it does...the house reminds me of all the love you had for everyone. I remember the night we had "Haystacks" for dinner and Jesse had no clue what it was, but the smell of the food cooking told him it was going to be good. It remind me of many nights when I was young and I was visiting you for the summer, we had parties with family and friends...we had either black olive pizza or haystacks...and of course green chocolate chip mint ice cream...

I am so happy to have all of this happy, wonderful memories. I still dont understand why you had to go home so soon, but I do know that one day we will be together again.

There is this song by Steven Curtis Chapman that was played during the service for the slide show....I thought I would post the lyrics. I cant hear this song without thinking of you daddy. I love you and miss you soo much!!! Love you forever and forever, your Kiddo

WITH HOPE by Steven Curtis Chapman:

This is not at all how We thought it was supposed to be We had so many plans for you We had so many dreams And now you've gone away And left us with the memories of your smile And nothing we can say And nothing we can do Can take away the pain The pain of losing you, but ...We can cry with hope We can say goodbye with hope'Cause we know our goodbye is not the end, oh noAnd we can grieve with hope'Cause we believe with hope (There's a place by God's grace)There's a place where we'll see your face againWe'll see your face againAnd never have I knownAnything so hard to understandAnd never have I questioned moreThe wisdom of God's planBut through the cloud of tearsI see the Father's smile and say well doneAnd I imagine youWhere you wanted most to beSeeing all your dreams come true'Cause now you're homeAnd now you're free, and ...We have this hope as an anchor'Cause we believe that everythingGod promised us is true, so ...So we can cry with hopeAnd say goodbye with hopeWe wait with hopeAnd we ache with hopeWe hold on with hopeWe let go with hope.

Hey DaddyO!!! I just wanted to tell you that I love you and miss you very much. I have some hard days and good days. I wouldnt be able to move on without the love and support of our family. We all miss you so much daddy. Look here...its group picture of all the rugrats...they are getting so big so fast!! Little Gracie is you all over!!! The faces she makes! I love you!!

Love always

Your Kiddo!

Hey Daddyo,

I cant believe its already been a month since you have passed....So much has happened, the kids are getting so big. I wish you were here so I can tell you all the new things that are going on. Michael has turned into this little man, and Amanda is this preteen that is going to cause all kinds of trouble. The babies well, change so much every day. Gracie is pulling herself up and getting into everything. Novalie is learning how to use the potty. Then there is Ben. Ben loves to play the drums and guitar. He will sit for hours and play.

Daddy, I love you so very much and I miss you more than anything. I wish I could have one of your famous bear hugs. The kind that you squeeze so hard, you feel it for days.

Love always,
Kiddo

Hey DaddyO!

I just wanted to tell you that I love you and miss you sooo very much. You were on my mind alot today. I took the family to the beach and on the way home there was a storm. We were able to watch the storm delvelope from a distance and see the huge clouds draw closer and then the lighting show started and it reminded me of all those pictures of storms you have taken. I wish I had your passion for photography, you always took amazing pictures.

I also saw an old fire truck outside the volunteer fire dept near my house. I thought how you would love to see it, maybe even climb up in it and get a picture!

I love you daddy, I miss you!

Kiddo

Dear Daddy,

HI DaddyO!!!

I just wanted to tell you that I miss you very much and I love you. I cant wait to see you again.

Love love you,

Kedra
"Kiddo"

Documents related to the memorial service for Martin: the program folder, inside and out; the memorial folder, inside and out; the announcement posted at McKee Foods Company; and the obituary as it appeared in the Chattanooga Times Free Press on June 19, 2007.

Obituary

The following is the text of the obituary from Heritage Funeral Home.

 

Lee, Martin Lloyd age 59 of Ooltewah, TN passed away June 17, 2007 at a local hospital.  He was an employee of McKee Foods Company and was a member of the Collegedale Seventh-day Adventist Church.  Martin was former deputy chief of the Tri-Community Fire Department.  He was preceded in death by his father, Raymond Allen Lee.

 

Surviving relatives; wife, Margarita Rose. Mother, Margaret Lucille Floyd.  Daughter, Kedra Staten.  Brothers, Kenneth Lee and Charles Lee.  Six grandchildren, four nieces and nephews.

 

A memorial service will be held at 3 P.M. Wednesday, June 20, 2007 at the Collegedale Seventh-day Adventist Church with Pastors Mike Fulbright and Kenneth Lee officiating.  The family will receive friends following the service in the foyer of the church.  Condolences may be sent to www.heritagefh.com [or posted here]. 

 

In lieu of flowers, the family requests that memorials be made to: American Brain Tumor Association, 2720 River Road, Des Plains, IL 60018 or www.abta.org.

 

Arrangements by Heritage Funeral Home and Cremation Services, 7454 E. Brainerd Rd., Chattanooga, TN.