If you want to dance, I'll bring the band!

Eli Entrikin was a feisty guy. Ornery, strict, passionate about music and his girls' survival skills! Yep, that's my grandpa--my mom's dad specifically. He lived an energetic life--always buying or selling something from cars to guitars. He and my grandmother camped in an RV for seven years full time! There was always room for an acoustic guitar, electric guitar and amplifier. He played and sang at church--both a "real" church and campground churches, he sang at his assisted living facility and college bars from a young age until a couple years ago. He just lived for music, camping and driving.

Just recently he had a stroke and had to move in to a skilled nursing facility. He was actually fairly happy there--his roomie was a former camping buddy. But--due to the stroke's impact on both his strength and his judgment he earned all the bells and whistles, literally. He had bed alarms, chair alarms and stern "talkings to."

I think that was just too restrictive for him. Yes, he was 85, had a cardiac history and recent stroke. But in my heart I think he was just ready to move on and regain his beloved freedom of movement and music. March 2, 2008 he quickly said goodbye to this mortal world. He's out there enjoying his freedom, his cat Rufus and lovely wife Lois.