In Memoriam - Frank Waters, my Step-Grandfather

Not my ideal second post, but I feel like I should at least write something.

Over the Bank Holiday weekend, my step-grandfather, Frank, was admitted to hospital due to a heart attack. He suffered another one and died at the age of 81. At this moment his funeral plans are being organised by his eldest step-daughter, Irene...but I don't think we're invited (more on this later)

I don't have very many memories of Frank, simply because we hardly kept in contact with my father's side of the family and after their divorce, we just never kept in contact - there wasn't really any reason to since the whole point was to break ties completely. From the one lasting memory I do have from my very young years, I get the impression that he was quite strict - I took a bite from something on his plate and put it back and he tersely told me to finish it. Other memories have him being more pleasant as I grew older, but we never spoke much and I never got to know him.

The last time I saw him was about 4 years ago - my mother's younger sister and three cousins had come over to visit from New Zealand and wanted to meet my father's younger brother as he had attended a funeral and met them briefly. My cousin and I knocked on his door and the youngest of his two daughters answered; despite the obvious flash of recognition in his eyes, he insisted he didn't know us, when I mentioned we had come with my mother, and denied going to New Zealand, until my cousin spoke up and he caved. We entered and it was then that we saw Frank in the front room - I remember it had once been a living room, but had since been converted into his room due to his deteriorating mobility. He seemed so happy to see us and greeted my mother warmly, though we didn't stay long.