funeral speech

There's a lot to say about my Par.

First of all, he loved my Gram more than anything in the universe.

Any picture you look at of the two of them, and you'd agree with me right away.

He was crazy about her. The twinkle in his eyes gave it away right away.

When I was around Gram, Par was always only a footstep away.

It took me a while to think up exactly what to talk about, because there was so much to say about my Par, but more importantly, there is so much left of Par in this world,

everywhere i look in this room i see faces that care so deeply for the man who cared for us so deeply. I see his grandkids, who he took so much pride in bragging about at the Physical Therapy center and to anyone else who would listen. I see his children, whom he raised to become equally outstanding individuals. I see Gram in all of you, too. I see her nose and smile on some of us children and grandchildren, and Par's teeth and eyes on others of us (Yes, Meadow, having Par's lovely teeth traits, did just get her braces off this past week).

He led an outstanding life full of honor and pride, as well as joy and love.

As a kid, I always saw Par as the first one to pet a dog, whether it be the old English Setter lying on the floor next to his feet as he reads the newspaper to the young and reckless pointers us Hackett's have recently taken under our wing that he begged us to bring to show off to Jay Leno. He had such a big heart.

I remember every hockey game that he ever went to of mine because I always felt the need to completely give it all I had. Par was the witness to my first goal when I was a mini mite, and the witness to my first assist in the 18u Empire State Games. He always felt horrible when he missed a game anywhere near E-town. The night before Par died, I had a dream that he attended my first prep school game at The Taft School, too. After thinking about the dream a few days later, it occurred to me that Par would never have to feel bad about missing another hockey game...because Par will never have to miss another hockey game ever again.

Par's strong spirit and lively soul lives within each and every one of us. Par was an unforgettable person whether you knew him as Mister Hackett, Paul, Dad, or Par. I know for a fact that Par and Gram are up in Heaven looking down on us, probably seated at some fancy romantic dinner table for two. I'm positive that anybody in this room that is crying should only be smiling while they do so, because Gram and Par both lived and died with smiles on their faces. I know that Gram and Par are together for the first time in two years. They would only want us crying tears of joy, because happiness is the way that Gram and Par raised us all. Our lives now are a test to see how well they taught us, and how much of it we can teach others, now that they're lessons have all been taught. I don't think that anyone could ask for a more fulfilled life than Gram and Par had together.