Robert "Babe" Oddone February 8, 1912 - December 14, 2009

I don't quite know how to mourn the passing of my last living grandparent, Babe Oddone. There was some bad family joo-joo back in the day around my parents wedding.  Anyway, as a result of this, I didn't meet him until I was 7 or so on Christmas Eve in, I guess 1975 at my Aunt and Uncle's house. And then I saw him only at family graduations and weddings and the occasional Christmas.

When we lived in the East Bay and he lived in Hayward, Rachel encouraged me to go see him. And we did a few times. And I'm glad we did and that Jake and Rachel got to meet him.

I thoroughly enjoyed every minute I spent with him. He was quick witted and always smiling, even when he was in a lot of pain from shingles.


He is the Italian in me. And people say they can see my face in his. Kind of a moon face. And I like to think I have some of his quick wit, gregariousness, and entrepreneurial spirit. And if I understand the genetics involved correctly, it's his fault that I am balding.

I really hope I have his longevity.

I thought that in the end, he might be like W.C. Fields, a life-long atheist who was caught reading the Bible on his death bed. When asked why, W.C. said, "I'm looking for loopholes." But there was no such hypocrisy in Babe. So he is being cremated and there won't be a service. I guess at 97 he outlived all of his friends anyway.

So this weekend, Babe, I will raise a glass to you.

I thank you for providing a cautionary tale about what can happen if you allow issues to come between you and your family.

I hope you are at peace.