Leslie J. Frankfort - the final walk

here's a brief account of the final leg of grandad's journey with us. the wake was held in the Immaculate Conception Church in Pulau Tikus. and the whole event took place for about 8 days.....

here's a picture of grandad that i printed (our printer was not too good). this picture was when he was having a great time at my cousins (Laura) wedding in KL about 4 years ago - he was 90!

the flowers on the coffin were from all 3 daughters and the other one was from the Green family.

this is from Mon Cherie (behind Convent GreenLane) home,
the old folks home my grandad was staying - nice people :)

these are from my fellow CHOICEes!
am very grateful for your support, thank you lots and God Bless! *hugs*

these are from the Yew family (left) and the Devan family (right)
love the roses!

Here's the prayer group from the Cathedral of the Holy Spirit leading the prayers, they came nearly every other day for support. they have their own booklets, guitar and even portable speakers (check out the white speaker like box on the floor) and headset-mics (the guitar player)! canggih!

the day of the funeral, the journey starts from the wake to the church, just round the corner...

Funeral Mass

my dad saying a reading



final prayers



then to the hearse - it was quite a nice car/van, was too busy to take a pic of it (oh, you can see the white car in the pic below - right side)

i was getting the car to pick up the others for the convoy


at the crematorium @ Mt. Erskine

then the everyone went their own ways home to rest, have a quick nap, and change for evening prayers and dinner with family. i'm not sure if it was decided on purpose or it was pure coincidence, that the venue for the dinner was held at grandad's favourite restaurant! even the head waitress recognised him - though i'm not sure if anyone told her what had happened. it was obvious everyone was tired, from 8 days of the wake, 24hrs flying from US and UK and driving from KL to Penang, but we tried to put on a smile and made it a light, happy moment to be meeting everyone again.

Godma (Aunty Lottie), Aunty Shirley, Aunty Yvonne, Mum (Merle)



Laura, Aunty Gaik Sim, Godma

Uncles Eustace, Cosmas, Ritchie, Gerard

dad (Terry), me and Laura

on the 7th day, it's important to have the 7th day prayer and we had it upstairs of the PEA (Penang Eurasian Association). We said the rosary and everyone had a chance to say what they remembered about grandad, it was interesting as i got to know somethings about grandad i didn't know as he spent most of his life in America. it was quite a simple, intimate moment for all of us to remember him that way.

his ashes behind the picture


then of course dinner downstairs :D

when we finally arranged for the burial of the urn, we went over to my nanny's grave in St. Anne's Cemetary where she's laid to rest there. there's already prepared two lots in her grave and grandad's taking one of them.

and so this was the very looong week for all of us. it took a toll on us physically and emotionally, it's been 3 weeks already, mum and dad has recuperated, but i've yet to, as i went straight back to work after that.. and still working

anyway, grandad, hope all's well "up there" and i'm sure you're laughing and dancing with nanny, and all your family that has gone before you. remember us and pray for us here. Lots of Love :D

do you know what tired is?

tired is when...

you have to tend to family issues when a grandparent passed away, the wake, the layan-ing of people coming to pay their respects and attempt to do the "night shift" with dad, and that failed as you only managed to stay up till 3am by watching your mum play cards with her friends and watching reruns of tv sitcoms on your laptop. do that for 4 days + 2 days after working hrs. then comes the funeral mass in church, the crying at the crematorium, the dinners and tour-guide responsibility of being a cousin and niece to your overseas relatives and sleeping at 1-2am in the morning... EVERY morning

next traveling 500+ kms away, doing about the same thing, layaning people and sleeping late and driving around and traveling 500+ kms BACK again....

AND go to work the next day for 7 days in a row, and when you have only ONE day off, you still need to get up early to meet your own personal appointments and service your car AND back to work the next day for 5 days straight!! before you have ONE day off to pack for your phuket trip the next day..

wait, it still doesn't end, once you're back from phuket, u're back to work the next day for 3 days!!....

AND then, only then, you'll get 3 days off with NO plans whatsoever, at that time, you can only HOPE that no one calls you back to work.....

tell me.. tired or not?

May you Rest In Peace, Granddad

Leslie J. Frankfort
1915 - 2009

Passed away peacefully in Mont Cherie Home on the 2nd Oct 2009 in his after-breakfast nap.
The wake is at the church of Immaculate Conception Pulau Tikus (IC Church).

Gonna miss your stories, your jokes and laughter and you of course.
Now you are together again with nanny in a more peaceful place.

Love you!