s a physician, my father knew that however long a life time one had, however valiant one's struggle to stay alive, Death ultimately wins.

OWUO  ATWEDEE Literally: the ladder of Death will be climbed by all. Death is inevitable, inescapable.

He had planned for his death with the same degree of thoroughness that he had planned his life. His estate was in order.

But, although Death finally took him, he would have the final word.

Christmas 1979 was the first Christmas in over 30 years that he was not around to produce his annual Christmas-card poem.

It arrived anyway.