Requiem of an Institution

You're never far from my thoughts
My prayers include you every day
And you would think as hard as I have fought
That sheer force of will would've made you stay
A life well lived, a soul well loved
Is how I could describe your path
Souls devoid of joy and mirth
Is how I'd describe your aftermath
We merged, we met, we laughed and wept
As nights turned into days
All of the blended years collected
Memories of work and play
We loved, we lost, and at great cost
You departed this physical plane
I keep on crying, yet denying
How I'm handling the pain
There's no forgetting the sheer impact of
Your influence, strength, and grace
The inner resolve and intellect
The indelible beauty of your face
You built a lasting legacy
You taught us right from wrong
You kept us close, you raised us right
Through all these years remained so strong
You always had a joke to tell
A smile always graced your face
You were the backbone of our family
There's not a soul who could replace
Mighty in action, slow to anger
An unkind word never spoken
The absence of you singing or dancing
To a country song just leaves me broken
We always knew this day would come
The dread has anchored our hearts down
Now ashes to ashes, dust to dust
We have returned you to the ground
There's not a doubt in any of our minds
You live on in God's memory
The generations you have ushered on
Remain a part of your lasting legacy
You are well loved and respected
Cherished as partner, patriarch, and friend
We all will mourn the enormity of your loss
At least, until we're reunited in Paradise again