Howard William Mehigan

Today we said goodbye to an amazing man, my grandfather, Howard William Mehigan. (June 25, 1925- December 12,2010). I had the unique opportunity to write a eulogy for his funeral.

My eulogy to my grandfather.......

At the end of your life, you will never regret not having passed one more test, not winning one more verdict or not closing one more deal. You will regret time not spent with a husband, a friend, a child, or a parent.
-- Barbara Bush

I spoke with Janell at the beginning of last week and she informed me of the severity of my grandfather’s situation. She told me that she did not want to freak me out, but that grandpa had begun to speak with people who had passed on years ago. When I got off the phone with her I had an overwhelming feeling of sadness and grief. On Thursday of last week I was visiting with my Aunt Marie and I explained to her the events that had begun to unfold in regards to my grandfather. She had just recently lost her mother and she sat down with me and begun to cry. She told me that the deceased souls that my grandfather had been speaking with were spirits sent down from heaven to come and take my grandfather home. Now anyone who knows me knows that I am an extreme skeptic and I often push my faith to the limits and back. But if there was ever something that I truly believed in, it is the glorious words that my aunt had just spoken to me, and yes, they did come to take him home.

Howard Mehigan is the definition of a wonderful husband. When a man and a woman have an overwhelming passion for each other in spite of many obstacles dividing them, it is a love of immense purity. This rare love is what Howard and Margret shared.

He is the image of a loving, compassionate father. Anyone who has the opportunity to see the way his eyes light up every time one of his children is near, could there really be a more extraordinary sight than that? It is obvious to us just how proud he is of his three beautiful daughters and his amazing son. All four, who will forever carry the strong virtues and kind nature he has instilled in each of them.

He is blessed with ten incredible grandchildren, all of whom enjoy soaking up the knowledge and laughter that he brings to each of us every time we see him. He is the type of grandfather that is a little bit parent, a little bit teacher, and a whole lot of best friend. There has never been a time when he has not greeted us with a smile and a giant bear hug.

He has been able to experience the great joy of having 8 beautiful, healthy great grandchildren. These remarkable young minds and souls have the unique opportunity to pass on the best type of legacy; the legacy of an honorable, caring, respecting, loving, and giving man.

A true friend is the one who walks in when the rest of the world turns around and walks out. Howard Mehigan is a true friend. He is the type of friend who knows the song in your heart, and can sing it back to you when you have forgotten the words. He is the friend who believes in you when you have ceased to believe in yourself. The world would most definitely be a better place if everyone could have a friend like him.

My grandfather is the one who remains calm even when the situation put before him becomes heated and too hot to handle. For example when his entire family has come together at his house for a perfect Thanksgiving feast and the oven begins to burst into flames. Of course having his wife, three daughters, daughter in law, and granddaughters, all screaming and freaking out in the kitchen might presume to be a stressful situation for most, it wasn’t for him. He managed to remain calm and collected throughout the entire ordeal. He was without a doubt blessed with a tremendous amount of patience and understanding.

I find it inappropriate to speak of my grandfather in terms of the word was, in the past tense. The overflowing abundance of love that everyone who knows Howard Mehigan has experienced will forever be present. He will always be carried with us in our hearts, and as he drops in on us from time to time, as we all know he most certainly will, there will always be a bushel and a peck and a hug around the neck waiting just for him.