It was April or May 2002 that my dad, my mom and my brother John, flew to Phoenix, Arizona so Dad could undergo a risky surgery to remove a brain tumor. We all knew it was risky, but worth the effort. The Surgeon was one of the best in the world I'm told.
I had been to the states to visit with dad and my family, knowing that the situation was serious and....well....to say goodbye in the event that our hopes of a full recovery were not realized.
I spoke with Dad on the phone the night before the surgery. We talked about life, memories...our hope in Jesus Christ, family, his grandkids...it was a fantastic conversation. I wish I had thought to tape the audio.
It was not my last conversation with him as he did survive the intense surgery, however, following the surgery he could not put succinct thoughts together. The final words I heard my father speak went like this, "Michael, I need.......contemporary." He would grunt and try again but always ended up saying the same thing. He recognized my voice on the phone and responded to mom and John in the hospital, but the internal wiring in the brain was damaged and although our hope was that things would improve they really did not.
Dad returned to his home in New Hampshire. He died on 24th June 2002 from Congestive heart failure...a complication from the brain surgery.
Jeannie, myself and the kids all flew home to New Hampshire from New Zealand for the funeral.
i spoke at the funeral along with a number of others, including the wife of a United States Congressman who dad had gotten to know over the years. As well the funeral was attended by business people, lawyers, carpenters, insurance salesmen, janitors, teachers, medical people, and even unemployed people whose lives Dad and mom had touched in their nearly 40 years of ministry.
Dad never cared about titles...or money...or who had both...or who had none. He cared about people. He was perhaps the kindest person I have ever known.
I'm fighting back tears as I write this...unsuccessfully I might add.
At the funeral I wanted to sing the following song as a tribute to my dad but I knew I would never get through it. I may have quoted the chorus in my eulogy, but I really do not remember. Below are the words to "Leader of the Band" by Dan Fogelberg
I'll end this post with Dan's tribute to his father. The chorus of the song expresses my personal reflections and my thoughts toward my father, Robert W. Mears. He was 'The Leader of the Band.'
Leader Of The Band by Dan Fogelberg
An only child alone and wild A cabinet maker's son
His hands were meant for different work And his heart was known to none
He left his home and went his lone And solitary way
And he gave to me A gift I know I never can repay
A quiet man of music Denied a simpler fate
He tried to be a soldier once But his music wouldn't wait
He earned his love through discipline A thundering, velvet hand
His gentle means of sculpting souls Took me years to understand
The leader of the band is tired And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy To the leader of the band
My brothers' lives were different For they heard another call
One went to Chicago And the other to St. Paul
And I'm in Colorado When I'm not in some hotel
Living out this life I've chose And grown to know so well
I thank you for the music And your stories of the road
I thank you for the freedom When it came my time to go
I thank you for the kindness And the times when you got tough
And, papa, I don't think I said, "I love you" near enough
The leader of the band is tired And his eyes are growing old
But his blood runs through my instrument And his song is in my soul
My life has been a poor attempt To imitate the man
I'm just a living legacy To the leader of the band
I am the living legacy To the leader of the band
Doing my best to imitate the man... Thanks for the heritage Dad. Love you...miss you.
