Larry Jante... In Memory of

Jante and Tait Family Tree

Dad / Gramps

Photo taken 1997

Feb 16, 1932 ~ May 23, 2002

Larry Carl Jante was born in Palmerton, Penna. in 1932 to Lawrence and Edith (Tait) Jante. He had a Brother Hank whom he was separated from at an early age and a sister Estelle who died in 1997.

Larry "Dad" grew up in "Upper" Mauch Chunk, (now Jim Thorpe) Carbon County, Penna.

After Graduating High School he enlisted in the United States Navy from 1952~1954. After the Navy he met and married Helen Murphy of Pottsville, Penna in 1955. They had 3 children Larry Jr, Mark and Michelle.

Their marriage ended in divorce in the early 70's.

Dad was usually always there on the weekends for our visits.

We would go to Mauch Chunk for day trips to visit relatives, to go swing on the "Monkey Vines" he swung on as a child or just ride around while he told us about his childhood and showed us all the places that he "hung out."

He would take me all over "Searching for Buried Treasure" with his metal detector and we would also hunt for and dig up old bottles.

I still to this day don't know who had more fun doing all of those things, and I still dig up old bottles.... with our past memorys fresh in my mind!

He always told us he was gonna "Hit the Motherload Someday," with that good ol' metal detector.

Dad really loved Country Music and loved strumming on his Guitar singin' Hank Williams and Johnny Cash to name a few. He always loved going to antique markets and we went to Renningers every single weekend for many, many years. He used to have a stand there and It was great growing up with the opportunity to see such items, some one of a kind, that I will probably never see again.

Dad loved to gamble and was always a gambling man, he wasn't always good..., but I seen that all those years of practice turned out a Darn Good Card Player.

In Oct. 1980 he married Patricia D. of Dauphin County. She demanded all of his time and attention.... and eventually we unfortunately drifted apart.

I never allowed us to completely lose touch with each other though, I always made phone calls to check in and see how things were going.

I always made it a point to tell him "I Love Him, Miss Him and that I Wish We Could Spend Time Together!"

He always expressed that "He was Sorry that things were the way they were and that he didn't get to do more with and for his kids."

In the last 4 years of his life he was able to tell me some of the reasons why.....

Since 1997 we had started to become close again, more so in the last 2 years. He and I would meet for lunch, catch up on old times and sometimes have a beer and shoot a game or two of pool.

Then last year he was diagnosed with Non Hodgkins Lymphoma.

It was when I was taking him to his Chemo and other appts. (and/or lunch afterwards) that we ended up doing most of our talking and "Heart to Hearts."

I guess he knew "It was time to deal with the feelings, issues and questions, etc" that had been long ignored.

I found myself saying alot of "So That's Where I Get That From," or similar remarks concerning myself or other family members.

He was doing very well after his chemo except that he still had extreme pain in his legs.

He began sleeping all of the time, and was diagnosed with Sleep Aphnea. From March to May I relied on e-mails from him or his wife to keep me updated as to how he was doing. Once my father was unable to email me or talk on the phone the updates were few.

I never could have imagined that our time together would be cut so short.

I recieved a phone call on May 15th, that he was taken into the hospital on May 13th. I went straight to the hospital and I spent anywhere from 8 to 10 hours everyday with him.

His wife told me that he can't eat or swallow anything, and hasn't been able to hold anything down in days..... No one was with him at home during the day, so he wasn't able to eat anything until his wife go home.... I could see that he definately looked hungry.

I asked him if he was hungry and wanted to try and eat, he told me yes.

I was able to get him to eat jello and pudding that day. Begining the next morning, I cut all his food into very small pieces and started feeding him... he held everything down and couldn't stop saying how delicious it was and asked for more.

His Son (my Brother) Mark was also helping to feed and care for him, he smiled every time Mark came into the room, and also thanked him for feeding and being there for him.

He kept telling us that he loved us and that he was sorry...

On one of my nightly trips home, as I was cresting Peter's Mountain... and it was as if Dad was sitting beside me and said to me... "Shelly I want to go home."

The next morning when I got to the hospital, I asked Dad if he wanted to go home and he told me he did.

I asked his wife to consider allowing him to go home because that is where he wanted to be and should be.

Hospice was contacted, arrangements were made and he went home.

He passed away in his sleep at home in Mechanicsburg, Pa. on May 23rd, 2002 at age 70.

His Memorial Service was held on my Birthday Wed, May 29, 2002. in Harrisburg, Pa.

**Dee, Thank You for sending me the following Poem**

A LETTER TO MY FAMILY
To my dearest family, some things I'd like to say. But first of all to let you know, that I arrived okay.
I'm writing this from Heaven, where I dwell with God above. Where there are no tears or sadness, there is just eternal love.
Please do not be unhappy, just because I'm out of sight. Remember that I'm with you, every morning, noon, and night.
That day I had to leave you, when my life on Earth was through, God picked me up and hugged me, and He said, "I welcome you".
"It's good to have you back again, you were missed while you were gone. " "As for your dearest family, they'll be here later on."
"I need you here so badly, as part of My big plan. There's so much that We have to do, to help our mortal man".
Then God gave me a list of things He wished for me to do, and foremost on that list of mine, is to watch and care for you.
I will be beside you, every day of the week and year. And when you're sad, I'm standing there to wipe away the tear.
And when you lie in bed at night, the days chores put to flight, God and I are closest to you in the middle of the night.
When you think of my life on Earth, and all those loving years, because you're only human, there's bound to be some tears.
Do not be afraid to cry, it does relieve some pain. Remember, there would be no flowers, without a little rain.
I wish that I could tell you, of all that God has planned. But if I were to tell you, you would not understand.
One thing is for certain, though my life on Earth is over, I am closer to you now, than I ever was before.
And to my many friends, trust God knows what is best. I am not far away from you, I'm just beyond the crest.
There are rocky roads ahead for you, and many hills that you must climb. Together we can do it, taking it one day at a time.
It was my philosophy, and I'd like for you too, that is, give unto the World, so the World will give to you.
If you can help someone who's in sorrow or in pain, then you can say to God at night, my day was not in vain.
And now I am contented that my life, it was worthwhile. Knowing, as I passed along the way, I made somebody smile.
When you're walking down the street, and you've got me on your mind, I'm walking in your footsteps, only half a step behind.
And when you feel a gentle breeze of wind upon your face, that's me giving you a great big hug, or just a soft embrace
Author Unknown