Saying Goodbye

This past Friday we said goodbye to an amazing man.  My grandfather finally lost his battle with congestive heart failure. 

It was a very tough week for everyone since we are all pretty close to him.  My mother asked me if I would mind delivering the eulogy.  As difficult as I knew it would be, I also knew that I had to do it.

The following is the eulogy:

If you have ever met my grandfather, I think you can agree that he was an extremely kind, gentle, and loyal man. He had a way about him that left an impression on anyone he met. He was there for you any time you needed him. We were always grateful for this.
Since my mother worked difficult hours when we were younger, my grandfather was there every evening to stay with us. He would be the one to pick us up from practice. He was the one that taught us how to drive. My mother is especially thankful for that one.
My grandfather always had a great passion for his family and loved them immensely. Sadly he lost his wife, our grandmother, too soon in life. After her passing, he dutifully visited her at the cemetery and made sure she was taken care of as often as he could. We could tell he was never complete after the loss of her. Thankfully his own children helped him move on and he made sure to focus his attention on them.
As his grandchildren, we felt this same devotion every day. He would always come by the house just to be around us. Even as we got older, that never changed.
As time went on, we were able to witness that love grow once again as he embraced my own children. They loved listening to him coo at them as babies and he never failed to make them smile. My favorite moments were seeing him light up every time they entered the room.
He may have been a man of very few words but his actions in life spoke louder than any words he could ever speak. He was an amazing man and we are all better for knowing him.
As you sit here reminiscing, you may be trying to come up with your own way to describe my grandfather. For me, it has been difficult to describe with words, which is probably why this was so hard to write.


To me, John Aliberti is one great memory. His catch phrases, his smiles, his gestures, these idiosyncrasies are exactly what I am going to hang on to and will never forget. I ask that when you leave here today you take your memories of him, that smile he gave you, that pat on the shoulder and keep them close to your heart. He is at peace, as we should be. He has finally been reunited with his true love, someone he has been waiting to see for 23 years. And there they sit, waiting quietly and patiently to welcome all of us up there in our own due time.
Thank you so much Grandpa for being everything you were. We all love you so much and will remember you always.

Forever in our hearts

John Aliberti

August 3, 1924-December 11, 2011