h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

My Uncle Stan passed away on 27 March - I only found out 2 days ago and then went round to tell my Mum in person as Stan was someone who wrote to Mum about once a month with news from the family in Devon. I'm greatly saddened because I remember a kindly man who looked more like my Dad than any other than his siblings (there were 10 altogether) my Grandma W had 7 boys, then 2 girls then the last who was Stan. He was 87 and in poor health, he suffered so badly with his legs that he could no longer climb the stairs and had to set up a bedroom downstairs.

He had a tumultuous family life; happily married to Margaret but with no sign of children, they sought medical advice (in the 60s) and were told to adopt, which they did, a boy Simon and a girl Gillian. Margaret then proceeded to produce 3 children of their own, within about 4 years, a girl Elizabeth and 2 boys Timmy and David. This would be about the late 60s... then Margaret died suddenly when David was about 10 months old. I remember my mother's shock and my parents worrying about how Stan would cope with 5 children, in the end the 5 were distributed among the family (we took Timmy, who was about 5, and Simon who was about 12), for a month. I remember the children going back home, but not much else, just feeling so sorry for them that they'd lost their mother so young. Stan raised them all himself, he never remarried.

And now he's gone, my Dad's last sibling, my sister and I have had a good cry at the end of an era. RIP Stan and God Bless

Hi there Galaxy Babe! My condolences. My father was the first of his siblings to die ... two older brothers and two youngers sisters left. My mom was second ... her younger sister died first, and her older sister and brother are still alive. I must write something about my mom sometime. At any rate thanks for writing this, and best wishes from me. RIP Stan.

My mother died when I was 21, and her two unmarried sisters died within 10 months of that, so her whole family was wiped out within 10 months. It's good that your uncle got to live such a long and full life.

My apologies from dropping out of the great nowhere

My father was distressed when he became the "baby of the family", two younger sisters having passed. He came of a family of 8 children. At his wake in February, it was so sad to see only one brother and two sisters of his left. And one of those women did not know me as a godson, or even where she was any longer.

Sometimes it's a curse to live so long

I spent last afternoon and part of the evening looking after an old woman who bitterly wants to die, and does nothing but moan and groan about her situation, yet she is waited on hand and foot by her son and 3 carers a day. As we go to 3 OAP Homes per week as part of the Pets as Therapy charity, we've seen the state of some of the elderly and there's not one who has the undivided attention of a member of staff, yet they seem much happier. Who knows what the future will bring I just know I don't want to live that long that I make my children's lives a misery.

My condolences.

Sometimes it can be hard to be the only one left. Mum and her younger brother died ten months apart leaving their older sister alone of the siblings. My aunt still has not coped with the fact that she, the oldest child, survived her all of her younger siblings.

sad times My aunt died in her sleep the other night, which has made everyone rather glum here.

Condolences to everyone suffering losses.

My heartfelt condolences - it's always sad to see someone go.

I do choose to think of reincarnation as a fact - and so I don't really think of people as having left for good.

It's grand that you're part of that charity - my mum used to take her dog around to what we yanks call 'rest homes' and later when she was staying at one herself for a brief time, she received visits and it meant so much to her.

Sorry to hear this GB

My condolences, GB. How come it took so long for the news to get to you? Will you be able to go to the funeral or was it too late for that?

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss, GB.

I lost my Aunt last year to Alzheimer's and it's still eating up my Dad. He's the last of his family (besides us). They've lost so many friends and family, and there aren't many left. It hits them very hard.