Goodbye to a Legend

Caroline lost her great-grandfather today.  I lost my grandfather.  My dad lost is father.  More than that, the world lost a great man who was loved by many.

Dr. Thomas Maher, or PaPa to a select 15, passed away today surrounded by his family that loved him, in the home that he built almost 60 years ago.  He almost left us about 6 weeks ago, but he was determined not to leave this world from a hospital bed.  He decided, instead, to leave us from the bed he built so many years ago.  Papa was a remarkably healthy man, eating mainly things that he grew in his garden, but a heart issue took his life in the end.  We are all thankful he didn't suffer for very long and that he was in good spirits until the end.  He was eating apple fritters and reading the comics in the days before his passing.  What a way to go!

Here's the obituary from the Lafayette paper:

Dr. T. F. “Tom” Maher, 86, Lafayette’s leading gardener for more than 50 years, died Wednesday, July 18, 2012 at his home.

Maher was a retired UL Lafayette professor of agricultural engineering, but he was better known in the community for his huge garden and greenhouse. He sold both plants and vegetables from his Mimosa Place home, and from the Acadiana Farmers’ Market at the corner of Foreman and Dulles streets. Hundreds of area gardeners got their plants from Maher’s greenhouse. He introduced to the Lafayette market many new varieties of plants, from improved blackberries to heat-resistant tomatoes to a wide range of pepper plants, melons and eggplant.

Maher grew up on a farm in Ardmore, Oklahoma and served in the United States Navy during World War II. His bachelor’s and doctoral degrees are from Oklahoma State University; his master’s degree was from Texas A & M. He taught agriculture at UL Lafayette from 1953 until 1980. He was one of the first three Distinguished Professors honored by the UL Foundation.

He was preceded in death by his first wife, Eileen McGraw Maher, and by his third son, Dan Maher.

He is survived by his second wife, Ruth Ganucheau Maher, by two sons, Michael Maher of Sunset, La., and Patrick Maher of Houston, Texas; by four daughters: Kellie Brame of Hammond, La, Kathy Feldmaier of Austin, Texas; Shannon Maher of Atlanta, Ga., and Shawn Williams of Lake Arthur, La. All of his seven children are graduates of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He will also be missed by fifteen grandchildren and three great-great grandchildren.


What the summary of PaPa doesn't include is that he had a wonderful sense of humor and a calming disposition.  He was a lovely man who loved his garden and bouncing a baby on his knee.  He was smart as a whip and had the clearest blue eyes.  His legacy will be his garden, from which many new varieties of plants were created.  He loved sharing that gift with the local garden enthusiasts. His greatest legacy will be his children - all of them successful and wonderful in their own way because he and Granny raised them that way.  The right way, in a home full of love and humor.

Rest in peace, Papa.  Give Granny a big hug for me and tell her all about her great-grand daugther, Caroline.  Watch over us and help me raise my children to be as great as the ones you raised!