Yarnall Genealogy

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Thomas Vincent Yarnall - At the End
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Age 60 Visit
We had only one visit from my dad. We celebrated his 60th birthday in November after our son Brad was born (dad's birthday was in March). We have three pictures from that visit.
Two Strokes
When dad had his first stroke (about age 64) he drove himself from a job site to the Glen Riddle Hospital. He had to retire after his second stroke when he was 65 or 66. He needed special care after his second stroke and took his first flight at age 66 to stay with his son, Bill, in CA in 1977. I got to see him more often to help a little with his care when he came back to stay at a convalescent home in NJ in 1978.
Off to Georgia
Dad took his third and last flight when he was 67. He went to stay at a place his son, Bob, found that was designed for people with special needs. It was a tax-supported unique living arrangement that was almost free. These units had a bedroom, bath, kitchen, and small living room with "meals on wheels" service for lunches. There was an alarm system for dad to use to signal the central building if he needed a caretaker to come to his unit. Bob did his food shopping and his laundry for him. He visited with dad often to be sure he was OK. Bob did this for about nine years and then he had to arrange for dad to be cared for in a nursing home.
No good
Once or twice a year I arranged business trips to Atlanta so I could visit him. They were difficult visits. He could only say a few phrases such as "No good, no good" about his situation and point to himself, or "Son bitch" and "Oh boy". He could bathe himself - sort of. He could dress himself. Buttons were a real challenge. He could get his cereal for breakfast and make snacks for dinner. Here was a former very good athlete who was now "just existing" during the final years of his life.

Dad was confined to a bed in Roswell, GA nursing home for years. He deserved a much better fate.
His life's phases
Ages 1 to 15 were his learning years, ages 16 to 19 his great sports achievements years, ages 20 to 49 his good and not so good married life years, ages 50 to 65 his living alone very modestly years (he was able to buy a small trailer and boat for relaxing near Cape May, NJ), and ages 66 to 81 his existence years. He died March 8, 1993. He held the longevity record for our branch of the family tree until April 9, 2014 when I passed him. He went through hell to do it! I was fortunate not to endure what he did. Click here to see a longevity chart. Click the X in the tab at the top of the window to return to this web page.
Buried in 2008
After he died his body was given to the Emory Medical School in Atlanta for medical students' use. He was later cremated. His ashes were kept in an urn at his daughter Sue's house in Morton, PA for 15 years. We buried them in the St. Francis Cemetery in the Crozerville section of Aston, PA with his father, mother, and sister Marie.
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