A poem for Dad: The thief
Dad and Me
My father Thomas William Maher worked on his family’s share cropping farm before joining the Air Force and serving as a gunner on a B-29 in the Korean War. This earned him a military scholarship and he went on to attend the University of Iowa, where he earned a BA in Chemical Engineering. He landed in California’s Silicon Valley and served in several leadership roles at new technology companies, including as Senior Vice President of manufacturing at Seagate Magnetics, one of the world’s largest disc drive manufacturers. He also wrote and published a book of his life called “Silicon Valley Road.” He is retired and living in Livermore, California where he is loved and cared for by his family. His wife Marilyn, son Morgan, son Phillip, daughter Kathleen and son Lawrence and all of his extended family share our love for all families who suffer from Alzheimer’s and the care of their loved ones. We know all too well what it takes and how tough this disease can be. Remember who you are doing it for and your soul will be set free.
The Thief
by Larry Maher
No crime was committed, no law was trespassed.
So what gives you the right to take him so fast.
We spent years learning of his darkest tale
Emotionally invested and loved without fail.
Now you slowly take him piece by piece
Slowly removing the thoughts and our peace.
You take without warning, and take without care
It takes us with him, it just isn’t fair.
For you are the criminal, the stealer, the thief.
And what you leave for us is simply the grief.
You purge our souls of the one we love most
And leave us with a hallow shell of a ghost.
You’ve robbed us before, don’t deny the facts
And will continue to take a toll it exacts
You are cruel and heartless, take what you can
I wish I could end your rein over man
We will give him our love and comfort within
But you will always continue to reap what is grim.
But one thing you can’t remove you’re barren of
For you can not take our hearts full of love.
Thomas William passed away November 23rd, 2015 with his family by his side. Dementia had robbed him of his ability to fight off pneumonia and he lost his battle.