Earlier this week, the marvels of modern technology allowed me to participate in my Dad's funeral. It was difficult not being there in person, but it allowed me to honour a great man and say my goodbyes.
As the camera panned the church, it was amazing to see the many people there to remember and celebrate my Dad—family, neighbours, friends, church folk, and my Dad's workmates. It was clearly apparent that Dad was well-loved and had a positive impact on many people throughout his life. I'm also thankful for the love, kindness, and support that so many have shown my family, especially my Mum.
I miss my Dad. I miss talking to him and hearing his witty banter.
Below is the audio of my eulogy and the slideshow shown at the funeral.
Upon meeting my Dad, it wouldn't take long for you to notice his big personality. “Loud meets meekness” is how I would describe it. Though my Dad was often jovial and playful, he had this humble warmth and kindness about him that would leave most feeling uplifted and welcomed. Even when he struggled, he sought to uplift those around him – be it with a joke, a listening ear or a shoulder to cry on.
Another year has passed, and so I thought I'd take some time (with Jen's help) to give a brief update on what is happening in the Winter family.
Our family trip to Australia in March was the year's biggest highlight. We enjoyed spending lots of time with my family and several fun outings. We finally visited Jenolan Caves after several failed attempts on previous trips – though I think the wild kangaroos we saw on the drive may have elicited a stronger reaction from the girls than the incredible caves and formations did.
We also had our usual visit to the beach, where the girls learned that sledding does exist in Australia. This was demonstrated to us by our sweet nephew Willy, who rode a boogie board while being pulled by one of his favourite cousins along the sandy beach. Unfortunately, our day trip to Katoomba was very foggy, but the girls were happy to fill in as the area's infamous “three sisters.”
Besides that, we spent ample time with family and friends and celebrated my parent's 50th wedding anniversary. Oh, I also got to take in some rugby league and soccer games. Yay, Sports!
This has become a 'living document' that gets added as needed. Writing it has become deeply therapeutic for me. It has helped ground me in a reality based on goodness and truth, not the many lies and ensuing destruction. It has also been instrumental in helping me find some form of healing and recover my God-given identity in Christ – mind you, ever so slowly. Finally, it serves as the antidote to a lot of the gaslighting and abuse that I (we) have experienced over the past 18 years. (Last Updated: Spring 2024)
The Post is pretty emotionally raw and opinionated in some places, based on a lot of what I have experienced and what I can remember – mainly supplemented with facts and evidence from conversations with my wife as well as the emails/letters/texts sent to us, my place of employment and my family back home in Australia. As with most posts of a personal nature, the events described here have been written about through the lens of my pain and experience.
