He's not terminally ill. I don't know that his demise is imminent. They have never expressed anything to indicate that they are scared of his demise . . . . . though they have expressed concern over meeting the expense of burying him. (I'm working on helping him set up a pre-paid burial fund, so that final arrangements might not be a burden on them.)

He's in his 80s and has some dementia. I think he didn't call them because he didn't want to possibly intrude on their festivities. One of the 3 children did call before traveling to where they were all getting together. He said she said she would be calling him when she got there. The implication, I thought, was that they would be calling him him and pass the phone around and all say hello. That's what they've done for the past 25 years.

Well . . . his cell phone just rang and it's his son. I'm glad.