Poppy passed away last night, a few hours after his stroke.

My great-grandfather was a remarkable man. He was born with polio, but never let that keep him from doing the things he wanted or needed to do. He used to tell the most hilarious stories about the things that happened when he was working as a bookie and at a gas station. He and Nana raised my grandfather Danny, who has always shown his grandchildren the same love he learned from his parents. When I was a kid I spent a lot of time at Nana and Poppy's house. He was the first person to give me financial incentive to do well in school (even though I did well anyways). He was always very craftsy, always making some project with plastic canvas and yarn.

Nana died in 2003. Grandma died in 2005. Poppy was so heartbroken when my grandmother died, she was like a daughter to him, he hated that she went before he did, but...

You know, I don't know if I believe in heaven, but I want to believe so I can think that they met him up there, that they were waiting for him to come home to them.

So. Rest in peace, Joseph Pragana. May 2, 1913 - August 30, 2011.