Edward Thomas McAteer II

We are deeply sorry for your loss! You and your family are in our Prayers
The Smoot Family

You knew it would be the last time. Your last words were "tell everyone I love them"
As if we needed reminding. But he wanted to let us know just one more time.  It reassures us and reminds us all that in his last moments, he was thinking of his family first. You always welcomed us kids with kind eyes and a strong embrace and no matter what the problem, you had the solution. The 4 of us were lucky to have a dad like you.

(I knew it very young that you put family first.  Long hours at work everyday. Although we were in bed before you got home, you checked on us anyway.)

When the ones we love are with us, its easy to show our gratitude by trickling out our appreciation through gifts, inside jokes, phone calls, hugs, kisses, and I love you's but I think the pain one feels from losing a loved one is from love that gets stuck in the heart. Love that wants to burst out from the body all at once in a rush to give it to the one... whos already gone.

What we should remember we meant everything to him because he cherished every one of. We're McAteers. Its in our DNA to be great.
Facebook quotes that say "Sometimes I just look up, smile and say "I know that was you" so thank you for picking out a nice duffle bag for this trip. I love it. Dad, I know you'll be helping us out from heaven.  I enjoyed our time in the air at highest altitude and wrote Dad Maggie doodles on the plane window. )
Thank you for reminding me that whatever I do for you is and will always be good enough when I was gathering the ingredients for the cake i was making you,  I am good enough and we are all good enough.

You never know how strong you are until being strong is your only choice, as I know now when I witness it all around me.

And as you raised Adam and Eddie to be men, they now will raise and carry you to be remembered as the honorable soldier,  a compassionate, protecting, loving father, a patient and dependable husband, a cherished sibling, beloved cousin, a hero and a dear friend to all of us and so many that couldn't make it here today. We will take with us everything good instilled in you and walk together taking on the lead you set for us to follow.

Lastly: For the man who was always right,  I hope we've done everything right.  I hope that we've been able to describe the shine in you as the light you are and always will be to all of us.  So we won't say farewell but instead say ta-ta for now.  One sweet day when the time comes, we will wait for you to come for each of us to walk us through the gates of heaven.  Until then, May the sun shine warm upon your face; the rains fall soft upon your fields and until we meet again, may God hold you in the palm of His hand.