dad

                  Norman W. Whitehurst, 65, went to be with
                   the Lord at 3:50 p.m. Monday, August 22,
                   2005, at his residence. He was the husband
                   of Patricia M. (Anderson) Whitehurst with
                   whom he observed their 31st wedding
                   anniversary on September 22, 2004. Born
                   September 24, 1939, in Troy, N.Y., he was
                   the son of the late James T. and Anne
                   (Simms) Whitehurst. He was retired from The
                   Printing Express, Inc., where he served as
                   President from 1975 to 2001. He was a
                   member of the Lions Club of York; Cosmopolitan Club of
York; and served as a patient transporter for York Hospital from 2002
to March of 2005. In addition to his wife, he is survived by eight
children, Norman W. Whitehurst, Jr. of Newington, Conn., Lori A.
Whitehurst of Odenton, Md., Thomas J. and his wife, Cindy Whitehurst
of Newburgh, Ind., Marlissa L. Cooper of Sierra Vista, Ariz., Kristen A.
and her husband, Bryan Wertz of York, Laurie L. and her husband,
Lance Anderson of Burke, Va., L. Rich and his wife, Stethanie
Armitage of Wrightsville and Luanne M. and her husband, Steve Gould
of York; 16 grandchildren; a twin brother, J. Thomas Whitehurst of
Albany, N.Y.; and a sister, Patricia A. Young of Allentown. He was
preceded in death by a sister, Gail Reitz. A funeral service will be held
at 1:30 p.m. Thursday at the Etzweiler Funeral Home and Cremation
Service, 1111 E. Market St., York, with the Rev. Frederic Stephenson
officiating. Burial will be in Susquehanna Memorial Gardens. Viewing
will be one hour prior to service. Memorial contributions may be made
to York Cancer Patient Help Fund, 25 Monument Road, York, PA
17403.

I LOVE YOU DADDY
BY KRISTEN WERTZ

I KNOW MY DADDY LOVED ME
THOUGH HE DIDN’T SAY IT
EVERYDAY
WE RARELY SHOWED EMOTIONS
IN THAT TYPE OF WAY

BUT YOU ALWAYS KNEW HE LOVED
YOU.
YOU COULD SEE IT IN HIS EYES
HE’D BRAG ABOUT HIS CHILDREN
WHILE BEAMING FULL OF PRIDE

THE GRANDKIDS HELD A SPECIAL
PLACE
AS MANY PEOPLE KNOW
HE’D GIVE THEM HUGS AND KISSES
AND SAY IT WAS TIME TO GO

MY DADDY KNEW I LOVED HIM TOO
THOUGH I DIDN’T SAY IT EVERYDAY
I FIGURED HE WAS MY FATHER
HE PROBABLY KNEW IT ANYWAY

I DIDN’T TELL HIM HOW I LOVED THE
WAY
HE’D COOK EXOTIC FOOD
ESCARGOT . . . STEAK TARTAR
DEPENDING ON HIS MOOD

UNFORTUNATELY HE MADE US TRY
ALL THAT HE’D CREATE
AN EPISODE OF YAN CAN COOK
MAY LEAD YOU TO YOUR FATE

I DIDN’T TELL HIM I LOVED THE TRIPS
WE TOOK IN HIS CADILLAC
THE STATLER BROTHER’S HOLY
BIBLE
POURED THROUGH FROM FRONT
TO BACK

AS MUCH AS WE COMPLAINED BACK
THEN
FOND MEMORIES LURK INSIDE
LIST THE 12 APOSTLES?
I COULDN’T FORGET THEM IF I
TRIED!

I DIDN’T TELL MY DAD I LOVED HIM
WHEN TROUBLE FOUND ME YET
AGAIN
HE’D WELCOME ME WITH OPEN
ARMS
WELL. . . MAYBE AFTER A TONIC
AND GIN

HE REALLY WAS A TEDDY BEAR
A PUSHOVER IF YOU WOULD
HE’D GIVE YOU ANYTHING YOU
ASKED
IF IN ANYWAY HE COULD

SO MANY PEOPLE LOVED HIM
THEY SPREAD AROUND FOR MILES
MY DAD HAS PROBABLY MADE YOU
LAUGH
OR AT LEAST INVOKED A SMILE
I DIDN’T TELL MY DAD I LOVED HIM
WHEN I FOUND OUT HE WAS ILL
I FIGURED HE WOULD BEAT IT
AND OUR WORLD WOULD CONTINUE
STILL

AS HIS HEALTH FINALLY FAILED HIM
I REALIZED I’D SCREWED UP
I BEGAN TO TELL HIM EVERY DAY
THAT I LOVED HIM VERY MUCH

ON THE GOOD DAYS HE WOULD
SAY IT BACK
THE BAD DAYS WEREN’T SO GOOD
IT WAS HORRIBLE TO SEE HIM LIVE
IN A WAY THAT NO ONE SHOULD

NOW THAT GOD HAS RESCUED HIM
FROM THE PAIN WHICH HE
CONCEALED
I DO NOT FIND IT HARD AT ALL
TO TELL HIM HOW I FEEL

I LOVE YOU DAD FOR ALL THE
THINGS
YOU DID THROUGH OUT MY YEARS
I LOVE YOU FOR THE LOVE YOU
FELT
FOR THE ONES YOU HELD SO DEAR.

I SEE SO MUCH OF YOU IN ME
AND EVERYONE YOU TOUCHED
I KNOW THAT YOU ARE PEACEFUL
NOW
BUT WE STILL MISS YOU SO MUCH

THESE THINGS I SHOULD HAVE SAID
BEFORE
IN RETROSPECT I KNOW
IF ONLY I HAD A FEW MORE YEARS
TO REALLY LET IT SHOW

NOW THAT WE CAN TALK AGAIN
I CAN TELL YOU ALL THE TIME
YOU KNOW HOW MUCH I LOVE YOU
SIPPING MAI TAIS IN THE SKY.