Rest in Peace Dearest Dad

Richard C. Zartler

9/6/1939 - 10/14/2016

There once was a young man that lived in Chicago. He loved fast cars, tools, fishing, and telling a good story. He married his high school sweetheart on the hottest day of the year in 1959 without any fans or air conditioning, but that didn’t dampen their excitement and happiness of starting their life together. 

Their wedding reception was held at the Lone Tree Inn – never guessing that they would return to that same town to raise their family some years later.

The young man worked hard, and together they set up housekeeping.

Soon they welcomed a daughter – their little bundle of joy. This small, happy family moved from the city to the suburb where they welcomed a second daughter five years later. 

The young man worked hard as an auto mechanic, while his wife created a happy home. He enjoyed fixing the house up and making improvements. He was fond of his Pall Mall’s, Hamm’s, and card nights with other couples.

 He was a man of his word. Once he promised his daughters that he would build them a rabbit hutch when he returned from a fishing trip. He returned with his arm in a sling, but wouldn’t think of letting his daughters down. Instead he created, without any plans, a two story rabbit hutch that soon housed a new pet. 

He was a man’s man – An auto mechanic by trade, an avid fisherman, and handyman extraordinaire, but he was surrounded by girls at home. He soon found a new talent – creating miniatures for his girls.

 It started with a general store, but soon evolved to dollhouses complete with electricity, hardwood and tiled floors, shaker style wood shingles, and furniture and other details too numerous to mention. 

In later years there was a reproduction flower shop, to replicate the one owned by his father in law, and barns for his grandsons, too. When he worked on the miniatures, he had a patience and steadiness of hand that you just wouldn't believe. 

All of his creations stand as testament to his incredible workmanship, patience and ability to make something from nothing. Many of his creations are packed safely away to be shared with future generations.

As his daughters grew older, he grew more protective. A man with big biceps and huge forearms, he could be very intimidating until the right young men appeared to court his daughters. Once they were married, it was time again for he and his wife to enjoy time antiquing and traveling. In 1988, he suffered a severe brain aneurysm, just a short time after his dear friend and colleague survived one himself. He only had a minute chance of survival and things were touch and go, but he was a fighter and exceptionally blessed to survive with only short term memory and environmental sensory issues. He was now “retired” and woodworking became a therapeutic hobby. 

In a few short years, he took on a new role – that of beloved Papa to a granddaughter followed by three grandsons. A new playful side emerged. 

As time went on, the crowds and traffic of city and suburban life affected him more as a result of the brain aneurysm, and it was time to start a new life adventure – moving to a small town in central Illinois. Although family thought this might be a temporary move, this man and wife found a strong community of neighbors and a supportive church family where they quickly felt at home. Here, Pall Mall’s and Hamm’s were replaced by buttercream cake with extra frosting and caramel delight ice cream.

  The years rolled by, when the gentleman discovered he had prostate cancer, but once again, he triumphed victorious. The years passed quickly with lunches out, Saturday church services, Dominos and Freecell games, when all too soon cancer found him again.

His family was so blessed to have the extra bonus years since the brain aneurysm and the prostate cancer, but now it was time to leave his earthly family and complete his journey to his heavenly home…

He was a good man – meticulous, a strong work ethic, who could fix anything and make something out of nothing. He passed on his love of cars to oldest daughter and her family and passed on his love of fishing to his youngest daughter and her family. He loved to go for car rides, tell a good story, and make people laugh. He was true to this even until his last days in the hospital and at home.

Rest in heavenly peace!

"My health may fail, and my spirit may grow weak, 

but God remains the strength of my heart;

he is mine forever"

~Psalms 73:26

(this bible verse appeared on his granddaughter's phone as her daily reading as he took his final breaths... God's hand at work.)

Blessings, Patti

Pennies from Heaven ~ Volume 12

Thank you ever so much for all of your prayers and well wishes!

Each and every one is very much appreciated.

Dad had his lung biopsy. It was more involved than we thought with a few complications, but we were ever so thankful for the dedication of the doctor and his team! 

We were so happy that Dad was released to go home the same day.

He is still suffering from significant and constant pain. 

We welcome continued prayers while we await the results.

Mom has kept her hands busy - a welcome distraction during this difficult time. 

I love this autumnal bed scarf and Mom's stitching is perfection!

Mom also completed the Maggie Club three month series from Country Sampler in Spring Green, WI. This is part of the year-long Maggie Club.

Mine is in progress.

I love Mom's stitching and little insects :)

It looks at home on their sun porch.

Dad should receive his results this week.

Unfortunately, I will be on a business trip in San Diego. Thank goodness I have a wonderfully supportive, loving and helpful sister!

Thank you again for all of your continued prayers!

Even to your old age and gray hairs

    I am he, I am he who will sustain you.

I have made you and I will carry you;

    I will sustain you and I will rescue you.

~Isaiah 46:4

Blessings, Patti 

A Prayer Request

Tomorrow is my Dad's birthday.

Happy Birthday Dad!

A few years ago I shared some of the miniatures that my Dad created. 

You can read more about it here.

This is the piece that started it all. Look at the toolbox in the bottom of this photo. All the tools were whittled by hand by Dad along with the decorative cane behind it.

Tomorrow I will head down to celebrate Dad's birthday, 

but also to take Dad for a lung biopsy on Wednesday.

May I please ask that you say a prayer for my Dad?

Mom and Dad have been through a lot this year.

We know the power of prayer in Mom's healing from surgery only two months ago

and in the wonderful news that her cancer is now in remission.

We appreciate the outpouring of love, prayer and well wishes from so many of you!

We can't possibly thank you enough.

We certainly didn't anticipate requesting more prayers so soon.

We pray for the same healing for Dad as he has been experiencing a lot of pain this week.

Prayers for healing, comfort and peace.

If you say, “The Lord is my refuge,”

    and you make the Most High your dwelling,

no harm will overtake you,

    no disaster will come near your tent.

For he will command his angels concerning you

    to guard you in all your ways

~Psalm 91:9-11

Blessings, Patti

Life in miniature

 

When I was a preteen, I became interested in miniatures and really wanted a minitaure antique general store. It must have been all those hours watching "Little House on the Prairie" :)

 

I was the luckiest girl in the world when I received the building for Christmas along with the basics - storefront counter, post office and shelves all created by my Dad. We were fortunate to have a few miniature stores in the area and my mom, sister and I would go shopping to buy more little treasures for the store. Sometimes my mom would help me make things - the bolts of fabric, little letters and packages. And sometimes I would have things in mind that I wanted like the wagon wheels that I couldn't find. So my wonderful Dad would create them, including the cane propped in front of the counter like something out of "Miracle on 34th Street". 

 

Before we knew it the General Store was pretty much done except for little tweaks.

Next up... my very own dollhouse! Another dream come true! The details are endless - a matching little doghouse to hide the transformer to light the house with appropriate light fixtures in each room. Hardwood floors throughout. "Antiques" in the attic along with a handmade ladder and a little tool box complete with tools that my Dad whittled by hand. Grouted ceramic tile floor in the bathroom. Crocheted matching bedroom linens created by my Mom. The list goes on and on.

 

 

 Some things never change - I would still love to live in a kitchen like this:

 

 

Once we had an adult cat jump in to this kitchen and had his entire body inside. When I screamed and he jumped out only one blue willow cannister was tipped over!

 

When my house was just about done, my Dad built my Mom a dollhouse:

 Over the years, there were barns, log cabins and other houses.

 

The final miniature creation by my Dad and Mom was the ultimate masterpiece:

 

 

My maternal grandfather & great-grandfather were florists that owned their own flower shop.

For my grandfather's 80th birthday, my parents surprised him with a recreation of his flower shop, Crawford Floral Co.

Everything but the metal items were handmade by my Mom and Dad.

 

 My Mom quilled the flowers, made the dried flower arrangements and wreaths.

My Dad made the flower cooler, counter, crates and shelves all by hand without any patterns, but memories of the shop.

My Dad is a man's man. An auto mechanic by trade, an avid fisherman, and handyman extraordinaire. With huge biceps, the strongest man I know.

But when he worked on the miniatures, he had a patience and steadiness of hand that you just wouldn't believe.

He had a severe brain aneurysm in his mid-40's and the steadiness of hand was a casualty, so he moved on to larger wood working instead .

But all of his creations stand as testament to his incredible workmanship. Many packed safely away to be shared with future generations.



HAPPY BIRTHDAY DAD!

WE LOVE YOU!

Blessings to you as we have been so blessed by your talents!

 

And Blessings to all of you for letting me share :)

Patti