Omaha, Neb., Oct 9, 2011 / 11:13 am
Fred Wacha was determined to enjoy his 50th wedding anniversary with family this summer, and he lived long enough while suffering from liver and pancreatic cancer to do just that, said his wife, Pat.
"He told the doctor, 'keep me alive so I can celebrate,'" Pat Wacha said. "He knew his days were numbered."
Fred Wacha, 76, underwent cancer surgery in March, followed by about seven weeks of chemotherapy, Pat Wacha said.
He felt well enough for the Clarkson couple to travel to a hotel in Council Bluffs, Iowa, July 9 to be with family and friends, including their children and spouses - John and Monica Wacha of Richmond Hill, Ga., and their children, Jacob and Joseph; Theresa and Ben Gokey of Omaha; Jim and Kim Wacha of Lincoln and their children, Alex and Cody; and Annette Wacha of Buffalo, N.Y., Pat Wacha said. Jim and Kim's daughter, Heaven, of Conception Junction, Mo., could not make the party because of Missouri River flooding, but she visited her grandparents several days after the get-together.