My stepfather, Paul Weinstein, died on June 12. He was 84. He died as he lived with calm and dignity. And like most things in his life, he didn’t make a fuss about it.
Paul was a pharmacist by trade, a Texan by birth, and a mensch by nature. He loved Judy, my mom, fiercely and loyally for nearly four decades. He raised five sons, showed up to Rotary meetings, paid his taxes, and rarely, if ever, complained—except about poor customer service and how bad his favorite sports teams had gotten.
He believed in integrity, not grandstanding. He showed up for work and for people. And in the last year of his life—when illness wore him down—he still showed up. Quietly. Sweetly. His hands, even in the final weeks, would sometimes reach for family and friends as they sat beside his bed. If there’s a lesson to be found in death, it’s often in the presence and absence it reveals. People you didn’t expect to step forward, do. People you hoped would…don’t. Paul never made that distinction out loud. He was too decent to keep score. But I’ve started to realize keeping score isn’t about revenge—it’s about remembrance. And this is a remembrance.
It’s a thank you to the people who showed up: to the staff at The Ridglea, who cared for him with professionalism and kindness, even when the job was thankless. To the team at Overture Home Care and Gateway Hospice, who made the end softer. To the family and friends who called, asked, visited or just didn’t pretend it wasn’t happening. And it’s a quiet acknowledgment of the silence from others. The blank spaces in the obituary aren’t mistakes. They’re the true contours of a life.
Paul had a pharmacist’s heart—equal parts careful and generous. He didn't like waste. Those included words. So, I won’t use more than I need. He lived. He mattered. He was loved. He is missed. And I will remember not just the man, but the lessons in his leaving.
#Grief #Remembrance #ElderCare #PharmacistLife #ShowingUpMatters #FamilyCaregivers #HospiceCare #FortWorth #Legacy #EndOfLifeCare #Family #ModernLoss #DeathAndDignity
Your love for him is so clear. A beautiful tribute.