As many of you already know, Bob left for his trip on Oct. 3, 2010 at 2:04 AM. It was a wonderful send off that we will remember for ever. Bob was surrounded by love of friends and family.
At 1:30 I got the uncontrollable urge to make chocolate chip cookies. I had no idea why I had this urge, I just did. I announced to everyone that I had to make cookies and Pat came with me to help. I found a mix of peanut butter cookies and Pat said that would be perfect with chocolate chips, since Bob’s favorite candy is peanut butter cups.
Pat and I made cookies and the smell of fresh cookies filled the house. It was a warm, happy smell. Tina went in to check on her father and came out and told me that the cookies were almost done. I went in the house, took the cookies out of the oven, placed them on a plate, and put the last batch in the oven. I walked down to Bob.
“Pop, I made you cookies, and I sure hope you can smell them,” I said. I rubbed his head and held his hand. He laid there and took his last breath with me. I couldn’t believe that he waited for me, and the smell of cookies.
We then all gathered around his bed, and shed a small tear knowing there would be no new memories made with Bob on this earth. We all hugged and then it was like a heavy vale was lifted.
So life moves on with a blessed past. There will be a gathering of friends and family at the house the first weekend of November. Bob loved cookouts and fishing and we are going to remember him the way he wanted to be remembered. We will be sitting in the back yard, telling stories, fishing, and eating hamburgers, his favorite meal. We will end the evening with fireworks so he and Joan will be able to look down and smile along with us with pride and joy.
We will latter, during the summer take his ashes to Hazard, Kentucky and lay him to rest beside Joan. We will let everyone know when this date will be when we are aware of dates and times.
His obituary was placed in the Lexington, Harold and read as followed:
CHIPLEY Robert "Bob", 80, passed away quietly on Sun, Oct 3, 2010. After serving his country in the USMC, Bob was a lifelong firefighter starting his career in Lexington in 1952. He moved to Orlando in 1971 and was the first fire chief at Walt Disney World. His vast experience included working as the Florida State Fire Marshal, Director of Florida firefighters training facility in Ocala and finally, Chief of the Port Orange Fire Dept. Bob was a dedicated and loving family man. He leaves a wonderful legacy including three children, Robin, Rob, and Tina; eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren. He also leaves his brothers, Dave and Ronnie and their wives, Lois and Garnetta. Bob's family takes great joy knowing that he is finally at peace and home with his loving wife, Joan who passed in 1994. They are holding hands and smiling down on us.
We have asked instead of flowers for donations to be sent to the following places:
“Remembering the Brave” This is an organization remembering and honoring families of fallen soldiers.
http://rememberingthebrave.org/
“Vitas Hospice” this group took wonderful care of us and Bob at the end of his life.
http://www.vitascharityfund.org/
I can’t thank all of you enough for your love and devotion you gave Bob and our family. I know that Bob has a clear mind and is now aware of all the things that we did for him, and all the love he was sent by friends and family far and near. I am so blessed and honored to have been the one to take care of him. Like I told one of the Hospice nurses, “I can’t say, Let’s do it again, but I certainly will say, I Would definitely do it again, without hesitation.”
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
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