Thread: If you never had the chance to meet your dad...

I lost my Dad this time last year myself.
I've kept his wallet and other personal items he had on him at the time of his death in the car accident.
That brings to mind I"M SO NOT HAPPY WITH MY MOTHER & BROTHER I can't believe they took the 120 euro he had in his wallet before they gave it to me, who does that?
I don't care about the money, but me I would not have emptied a dead persons wallet.
Anyway I digress (Sorry for the out burst)
If I could have gone to France, I probably would have saved more then what I've been told was brought back for me.
I have a very money hungry family so anything of value I'm sure has been sold or kept for themselves.
I can't look at the newspaper report as yet, but in time I might get it printed and framed.
Lucky for me he did pass onto me his military uniform insignia and papers from when he served in Algeria so theres a plus.
Anyway I could go on but I won't, just keep what you think you can store and pass on at a later time I guess.

Sarah,
As a male I would say keeping the tools for him is great, any happy photos (happy ones) are good, Things like watches or rings if he had any are good. I would be a bit hesitant on the police report etc (though I would keep it but probablly not make it available until he is a man and wants to look at it).
A good idea is to vaccum seal a lot of the degradable items (maybe good for the aftershave) and open as he wants to explore. Whatever you do make a copy of all doccuments and photos and store with someone else as a backup on USB or DVD.
Cheers
CraigE

Originally Posted by CraigE

Sarah,
As a male I would say keeping the tools for him is great, any happy photos (happy ones) are good, Things like watches or rings if he had any are good. I would be a bit hesitant on the police report etc (though I would keep it but probablly not make it available until he is a man and wants to look at it).
A good idea is to vaccum seal a lot of the degradable items (maybe good for the aftershave) and open as he wants to explore. Whatever you do make a copy of all doccuments and photos and store with someone else as a backup on USB or DVD.
Cheers
CraigE

Thanks Craig, Yep the emotionally 'heavy' things are going to be kept for when he is older. But things like Police Reports are only kept on file for a number of years and then they won't be obtainable so I want to make sure I have it. Even if he's never interested.
I have one of his watches, he never wore jewellery really.

Tools - Simon wanted us to buy tools for L every year for Birthday and Christmas, for his first birthday we bought him his first snap on tool box....it's a roll cab, not a box haha. So at least once a year I'll be adding to the collection, and he'll get all of his Dad's as well. He had better like DIY and mechanical things

Originally Posted by CraigE

Sarah,
As a male I would say keeping the tools for him is great, any happy photos (happy ones) are good, Things like watches or rings if he had any are good. I would be a bit hesitant on the police report etc (though I would keep it but probablly not make it available until he is a man and wants to look at it).
A good idea is to vaccum seal a lot of the degradable items (maybe good for the aftershave) and open as he wants to explore. Whatever you do make a copy of all doccuments and photos and store with someone else as a backup on USB or DVD.
Cheers
CraigE

Hello Sarah,

after loosing my dad because of a heart attack, I kept his wallet where everything is still the way he put it, glasses, pictures of him and his perfume, when ever I have the blues for him his perfume helps me in bringing back his memories.
I also kept his car that I will refurbish one day.

As I posted before, you will find that he is still with you because love doesn't vanish.

May his soul rest in eternal peace.

Things that are important to their time of life.. toys when they are young, books when teenages, tools a bit later etc.

As many pics with Simon, Lucas and you as you can find.
For Lucas, being able to see that his Dad loved him, will be be a critical thing in the future as he grows into a young man particularly.

cheers

Music is important for me.
Is there a favourite CD that Simon had, or perhaps a song he used to whistle or sing to himself? If not perhaps just some music that identifies the era Simon lived in.

Sarah,
Fortunately Ive not been in this position myself yet (at least Ive not lost a parent, wife of child).

However, I remember vividly as a kid when "working" in the garage with my dad, he always had a battered old oil can that he never used, but it had oil in it. One day I asked him what was the go with the knackered old oil can, he paused a while and simply replied in a soft voice "It was dads, don't break it". Nothing more needed to be said, even though I was quite young I knew instantly that the oil can was worth more than anything else in that garage.

The point being, Im sure its the simple little things that have emotional attachment / memories associated with them that are the things to keep.

hth
J