Beau flew in from Alabama last night bearing sad news:  his dad, “Papa” to our kids, passed away Saturday having never woken following a surgery to remove part of his cancerous pancreas.  He was only 66 years old.

He was Mike Blake to me.  Beau, in that Deep South fashion, always called his father “Deddy” — yes, with a short e.  Our older kids, who were delighted to receive their own daddy off the plane and devastated to hear that their Papa had passed away, will always have the memories of time we spent with him this past summer:

Also in Deep South fashion, Papa was always a gentleman and a gentle man.  He brought my husband up in the same way.  And we will do our very best to instill those characteristics in Papa’s grandsons.

© Tami Blake