I got the news from my Mom that her brother Arnie had passed away from emphysema. He was slowly dying from the disease for a few years. My uncle and aunt lived in Holland Michigan, mom and dad are traveling to Michigan for the funeral. Mom said that he is going to be buried in thier hometown of Escanaba Michigan.

My fondest childhood memories are of the annual Henriksen family reunions. My parents have been driving to the Escanaba area from Des Moines Iowa, my hometown, every year for the past 50+ years. I remember all the fun times that I had with my uncle’s and aunt’s. I remember mom calling my uncle “Horse”, I have no idea where that came from. Arnie is the first of my mom’s brothers or sisters that have passed. Most of mom’s family live within a few hours of where my uncle Arnie and aunt Anne live.

This is going to be hard for mom, since the death of Doug, she has been struggling. She had been attending a support group for those that have had their children die. I wish I could be there for her.