A reader adds to the growing thread:
Several years back, my father passed away from a heart attack at the age of 59. He was at home with my mother having a nice talk and had just poured himself a glass of wine. Then he started complaining about a sharp pain in his chest that wasn’t going away. He proceeded to give my mother a big hug and imitated Redd Foxx’s character on Sanford and Son saying, “I think this might be the big one!,” causing both my mother and him to laugh.
After that, he collapsed and died.
While his death was unexpected at his age and I miss him dearly, I nevertheless feel relief when I think of his circumstances. Not only was his death quick, but I had always known my father to be a particularly grouchy and difficult person when sick and feared that he would’ve handled illness in old age poorly. But in his final moments, he saw what was coming and had the grace and confidence to squeeze in one more act of love and laughter. It can’t get much better than that.
The Dish 