Mark Stroock II (II)

Mark Stroock II, my grandfather, was a sickly boy in the 1920's when things like polio, asthma and TB were killing sickly boys. As noted before, he was so sickly the army kept rejecting him. In World War II.

He never expected to reach 75 much less 95.

From 90 he was beset with illnesses that nag most of us but threaten the life of a nonagenarian. In 2012 he had a bad fall that required a hip replacement. He checked into the hospital and we never expected him to check out. Foolish us for doubting his indomitable will. When his second wife died last February we didn't think we'd have long to wait. He hung on for another 13 months, which just shocked the hell out of us.

Frankly, at time we wondered what he was waiting for.

Five weeks ago he was diagnosed with bladder cancer at which point he decided, hell with it. He wasn't going to go through all that at 95. He stayed at home with palliative and Hospice care. He was coherent until about noon yesterday and unconscious thereafter. Over the course of the afternoon his blood pressure dropped until nine sharp, when he passed peacefully. We're glad to say we were at his side and brought our father and sister into the room.

There's a heck of a joke in the events that transpired over the next few minutes, and one day we'll tell it.