I know some of the women here have already lost siblings, and I'm so sorry. My dad just lost his last living sibling and I'm finding it so sad for him. He was one of five, and extremely close the his two sisters who were the last two to go. I can't fathom what he's going through. I honestly can't. I can't tell you how often I pick up the phone and call my sibs, or email them. Heck, I see them very often too, except the one who lives in NC, whom I see a couple times a year. His world keeps getting smaller. I guess this is what happens as you age, but it sure is tough.
Just sharing the grief...
At least, your father, Dotsie has comfort of his children and grandchildren, at least some family.
I and my siblings never knew any of our grandparents. They all stayed and died in China. It's probably very strange and alienating when each of my parents immigrated in 1950's and couldn't afford to go back to visit family or my mother to visit some of her sisters in San Francisco until 40 yrs. later.
The closeness/bond gets broken when siblings live all over the world but each family is different. though I am sad for my parents now, I am also very grateful that they did each, grew up with siblings. Such relationships contributed to shaping each of them as individuals /adults in a positive way. I can see that...through how they expect us, their children, to make amends and have civil, if not, also cooperative family relationships.
Interesting, how when we were quite young, we were sometimes bored by sibling(s)' company and how much back then, we took for granted their presence in our lives!