Rob, your pain must be sucking the very air out of you. I can only imagine. You are in my prayers tonight, brother. I pray for strength, guidance, comfort, and confidence. I pray that your Dad is in a better place, watching over you with a strong hand of encouragement on your shoulder as you brave your way through the pain and joys of life.
Losing Dad is one of the horrific steps that marks our way through this world, and I'm sure you'll feel like a different person after getting through the initial shock, your generation being the oldest, carrying the torch, the good name, the sound advice, having to be the 'real' adult, but there's never going to be a replacement for your 'Daddy'. There's nothing I can say to make your pain go away, I can only offer my friendship, my own feelings and life experiences, my own sympathy.
I still have my Dad, and I value every moment that I have with him. When he goes to that better place, I don't know what I'll do, and the thought of losing him grabs my heart and squeezes. There are still so many times I turn to him for advice and guidance, and I can only imagine what you must feel, being the person that the younger people turn to for that same advice and guidance. My fear in losing my Dad is that I'll not be able to do as good a job as he does, but I think he trained me well, and I get comfort from thinking about how he'll feel, looking down on the decisions I make on my own. Your father will live on in your heart and when you have those questions that you want to ask, the advice you want to hear...he'll be there giving it to you, just like he spent the better part of his life doing.
I say this because I'm hoping that's how it's going to be for me, that I can retain my composure and confidence when it feels like my roots are being tugged out from under me.
Be strong, my friend. That's what your Dad is counting on. He passed on, leaving you to hold the reins for a while. Do him proud!
Hope this helps in a little way.
