Good-bye Arnold Seagraves

A wake for Arnold Seagraves was held at his son

David Seagraves's house in Granite Bay, CA.

"Do not pray for me and don't sing any hymns. I don't want a memorial service. Just have a party and remember me."

~Arnold Seagraves~

Arnold was in WWII as a cook.
He cooked for generals, and at the end of the war he was in Germany when Hitler fell.

After he came home he worked at Sears repairing appliances for twenty years, and raised his family.

After his retirement his mother (my grandmother Hattie Seagraves) became ill. He and his little sister Regina decided to take care of her. They at first worked as apartment managers, taking turns taking care of their mom. Then later at a mobile home park. Regina was the manager and Arnold was the assistant manager. Both remarried, but Arnold second marriage was not to last.

His mother passed away in 1985 and he retired fully.

Later he married his high school sweetheart Vi
and settled in the city of Pleasanton.

He is survived by his wife Vi and his four lovely children (2 girls and 2 boys) several grandchildren and a few great-grandchildren.

His last words were to his oldest daughter Suzy's husband, "You better take care of my little girl."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

~The trip to Granite Bay~

My husband Dave, my daughter Sarah and I got a late start from Madera because of the fog. It's a three hour drive from my house when the weather is nice.

The Google maps got us as far as the
American river bridge, that we crossed this on the way

to David's house.

And then we completely missed their house.

We finally stopped when we realized we went too far.

I looked across the street saw a deer in some one's yard.

My Daughter took it's picture.

This is were we stopped when we realized we went too far and called Dave.
"Hi Dave, I'm your cousin Janice. We're lost."
He gave us the names of two streets to look out for on the way back.
Thank goodness he did. I think we were at least ten miles off course, if not more.

Dave's house is in a very scenic area.
Pretty.

Lovely houses were on every side of the road.

A cement flume crossed the road.

We finally got there and here's my nephew Brian posing with my hubby Dave (yes another David).

~

I don't know the exact number of guests, but when I arrive (almost two hours late) the place was filled with such a buzz of voice I had to lean close to someone just to hear them speak.

My daughter Sarah, Brian and Dave again.

Eli and Mike Seagraves (Uncle and nephew).

Deanna (My sis) Seagraves-King, Eli Seagraves and Robin

Deanna and Brain sharing memories with Tukey (Dave Seagraves's wife).

Suzy Inman and Dave.

Sarah and Suzy.

All of Arnold Seagraves wonderful children.

They are, everyone, just as sweet and wonderful as he was.

Eli Seagraves, Anny Randal, Suzy Inman, David Seagraves.

Eli and his wife Thea.

Eli and family had to leave early.

Eli, Thea and his daughter Rabbit (online name).

Deanna and Anny.

Arnold Seagraves passing

I have very bad news.

I just got an e-mail from Anny the youngest daughter of Arnold Seagraves. She told me that her father and my Uncle Arnold has passed away peacefully in his sleep today, Thanksgiving day, at @ 12:3o.

I believe Suzy was by his side. She has been faithfully sitting by his side for a while now keeping him company while his health declined. He was in the hospice hospital at the end.

Please take a moment and say a prayer for Arnold's family and his wife Vi during this time. Or if you like spare a good thought or two, or maybe light a candle if that is your belief (This link goes right to a virtual candle lighting site.)

Thank you everyone and God bless.
Janice~

(((((((((((((((((A correction))))))))))))))))

Hi Janice - just a small correction, Dad (Arnold) was at home where he had been living with Dave, Tukey, Mike, Ruth, Georgia, Maya, Kendra and for the last 4 months me (Suzy). He passed knowing that his family all love and charish him. We are thankful for all the kind words, thoughts, and prayers we have received from so many. Hospice was wonderful, coming to the house to monitor his progress through the transition. Dad went his own way and in his own time. I would not have given up the last 4 months of caring for him for anything. It has been a gift to me.

Suzy

Update No.5 on Uncle Arnold

I recieved anther email update.

Please pray for Arnold Seagraves and his family while they go through this rough time.

Arnold seems to be doing better.

It's been a bit of a roller coaster ride...some days are good and some are bad.

This week he's had some pretty good days. He's had a lot of visitors which we think really helps and Sue spends most of her time with him so he always has someone around. We have been very blessed to have her here.

At this point it's really hard to say how long he'll live. I will stay in touch but please don't hesitate to call. Thanks again for your love and support.

Tukey

Update No. 4 on Uncle Arnold

I got this email from Tukey.

This is another update.

It seems that the good times didn't last long as Arnold is now back to what we believe is the verge of death.

The hospice nurse told us that he probably wouldn't last more than a week or two.

He is sleeping most of the time and he is eating and drinking very little.

Sue has changed her airline tickets so she can stay with us longer. She has really been a big help.

We appreciate your love and support.

Update No. 3 on Arnold Seagraves

I got another email from Dave Seagraves on his father Arnold Seagraves.

~*~

We just wanted to give you another update on the health of Arnold.

For a while we really thought he was on the verge of death but he seems to
have rallied. While he hadn't eaten any solid food for about three
weeks he is eating some now.

He is much more alert even though at times he is a bit confused. At times there is even a twinkle in his eyes.

He still spends most of the time in the chair in his room but will get up
once in a while and go to the bathroom. When he's feeling weak he uses
the porta-potty in his room.

If you want to talk to him there is a phone in his room and you will just have to talk loud for him to be able to hear you.

Much love, Dave and Tukey

Update No 2. on Arnold Seagraves

This is update on my Uncle Arnold. This is another email this time from my cousin Suzy.

Hi Jan - I tried to post to your blog, but you have to be smarter than the blog to do that. So, email I can handle. We have put Dad on Hospice, and are going to be putting him on morphine probably some time today. We think the time is coming soon and wanted to let the extended family know. If you could post the message on your site, we would appreciate it.

Suzy

Uncle Arnold's health

Arnold and Vi Seagraves

Arnold Seagraves has been at his son's Dave Seagraves house for the past few months. Dave and his family have been taking care of him.

This is an email from Dave on the state of his father's health.


Hello All,

I'm sorry to report that Dad's health seems to be getting progressively

worse. We've been to the doctor, it seems, about every other week, and
run blood and urine tests, but the doctor cannot find any treatable
condition. Yet every day, Dad seems further away: more lethargic, less
acute, sleeping more, less responsive. I'm not an expert, but it seems
to me that his body and his mind are just shutting down.

Over the past several days, Dad has been sleeping in his chair, and has
not gotten out of his robe and dressed, as was his custom. He is still
able to get to and from the bathroom on his own, but his visits seem
less frequent. It has been very difficult to get him to the table to
eat. Sometimes we bring the meal to him, but I think it is better for
him to get up once in a while. He has missed several meals entirely,
and claims at each meal that he just isn't hungry. When he does eat, it is
just a few bites. At the doctor's recommendation, we have added Ensure
to his diet a couple of times a day to compensate. Although he still
seems cogent most of the time, he is often confused about what time it
is, and forgets within minutes that we have called him to breakfast,
lunch or dinner. We have to remind him several times, and sometimes
just stand there until he gets out of his chair, though this seems to
frustrate him. He complains frequently about having difficulty
breathing, and often sits holding a pillow to his chest and breathing
laboriously. There is no chest pain or pain in the arms, and his lungs
are clear each time the doctor checks. There are no signs of edema or
other indications of heart failure. We are tracking his condition
carefully with the doctor.

All these symptoms are consistent with end of life. Barring the
discovery of a treatable condition, or a miraculous turnaround, I
believe Dad may be in the last stages of his life. It is very difficult

to say how long he will last, but I would say it is days or weeks, not
months, based on previous experience. The good news is, he does not
appear to be in any extraordinary pain, other than the pain in his neck

and hands with which he has lived for the past several years. He is as
comfortable as possible, and has the loving support of myself, Tukey,
Ruth and Mike, and an occasional hug from his 18-month old
granddaughter, Kendra.

I will let you all know if there is any dramatic change in his
condition.

Love,
Dave

My dad's birthday--Johnnie B Seagraves--March 3, 1922--1982

Johnnie B Seagraves with a striper. I think this one was caught at Don Pedro.

He was always proud when he caught one of these it's the pentacle of fishing to bring in a fish of this size from a fresh water lake and my dad was quite good at it too.

The best way to describe him was my dad was a fisherman.

A really good fishing trip; Blue gills, large mouth bass, trout, and one cat fish.

My mom with friends Bonnie in background and Brad at the Salton sea CA.

More Blue gill and my dad's hand.
This little girl is me when I was I think seven, it must have been in 1968.
I think theses were caught in Exchequer Chowchilla CA.

And yet more blue gill some of these were the size of dinner plates.

I know it seems like an awful lot of fish, but most of these were caught in the mid to late sixties. This photo had the date 1964 back when there were no limits on the fish caught.

My mom Jeanetta and my dad at the Salton sea probably 1982.

Do you see how he held his arms in as he holds the fish? He had painful arthritis in both his arms and hands.

I think this might have been the last fishing trip my dad went on before he died in September 1982 from colon cancer.

My dad Johnnie B Seagraves loved to go fishing. My mom found these down in a box and let me scan them in to my computer. I posting these with her permission.

Seagraves Men in WWII

Our branch of the family was very lucky in that all the Seagraves sons(and fathers, and husbands) who went away to war came back home again.

Alton Seagraves--Navy WWII

(He was the baby of the family)
Picture courtasy of Suzy (Seagraves) Inman

Left Lionel Seagraves--Navy WWII

Right Johnnie Seagraves(My dad)--Army WWII

Picture courtesy of Suzy (Seagraves) Inman

(Betsy) Dean's Seagraves (Basil's wife) brother Grover Williams--Army WWII

Middle Aubry Seagraves--Army(desk Jockey?) WWII

Right Lionel Seagraves--Navy WWII

Photography by my father Johnnie Seagraves; while they were all on leave together on Oahu, Hawaiian Islands. Photo Courtesy of my mom Jeannetta Rockholt

The war is over and the whole Seagraves clan is finally back together again. This photo was taken in front of my Grandparent's (Jerome Milton and Hattie Seagraves) home on Sierra Street, Madera CA.

Their staggered so I'll do my best and hope I down confuse any one. Starting on left back row Alton, front row Aubry, back row Johnnie(my dad), front row Regina(aka Ricky--the only sister), back row Arnold, front row Basel, back row Endel, off to the right Lionel Seagraves.

Photo courtesy of Suzy (Seagraves) Inman

Bad News About Grandma's house

Hi Cousins, I have some news I thought you should know---bad news about grandma's house.

The old house on Sierra street behind and to the side of the old Bridge store, and the last house that Jerome Milton and Hattie Seagraves owned is now unfortunately gone!

Hattie Seagraves in front of house on Sierra st. Madera(she must have been in her late sixties--look how slim she was)

The above pictures are found by my mom in a box somewhere for me.

My mom had drove through the old neighborhood and saw that the house was gone, completely gone. No house, no foundation, no garage, no trees even. Everything leveled. Even that old palm tree that my dad (John Seagraves) and his brothers use to jump over is gone too.

~~~

Here's something you may not have know about the old house.

It was the second they had here in Madera, the first one burned down and that was located just across the street from Basil and Dean's old country house (they later got a house in town). The barn is still there but not the house.

The second house they lived in they bought, and it was located on Sierra street , and it was build by a man for his sweetheart and he later married her around 1900 (The turn of the century).

Hattie Seagraves sold the house after her husband died (Jerome Milton died in 1961) and it sold in 1962 for a whopping nine thousand dollars (I know but it was the '60's okay).

The little old couple that bought it had thrown a wedding for a friend of there's (sweetheart house indeed).

Then the Leal family bought it and raised their children in it, and later moved out and used it for a number of years as a rental.