My father, Richard Szczesny, took his final breath on the first day of fall, his favorite season. He battled stage 4 gastric cancer, but then unfortunately, was diagnosed with advanced stage Parkinson's and Lewy Body Dementia, which is what ultimately took him away from us way too soon. He was a good man with a heart of gold. A Vietnam vet who ironically despised war and hated guns. Even though he was awarded a sharpshooter badge, luckily he never had to utilize that skill. He was sent to Vicenza, Italy where he was a communications center specialist. There he fell in love with my mom and all things Italian - the food, the wine, the family. Italy was his surrogate home and after many years of not being able to return, he finally made it back to walk me down the aisle at a 14th-century villa in Verona, Italy. Three years later he met his grandson, Owen, who helped him through the hardest time in his life. It made my father happy when people would tell him his grandson looked just like him. It is said that the eyes are the windows to the soul and hopefully my son not only inherited his grandfather's beautiful blue eyes but also his good-natured spirit.
As I blare good, classic rock n' roll through those B&W speakers I have now inherited from you and think of all the good times we've spent together, I raise a glass of your favorite Valpolicella wine and say, "May the force be with you."
I love you, dad. May you rest in peace.

Richard J. Szczesny
October 12, 1944 - September 23, 2014

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