My wife Pat and I attended a memorial service this past weekend for a friend we’d known for around 30 years.
It was a very nice service that honored his life. He was a military veteran and the setting couldn’t have been better on a beautiful Saturday morning overlooking the lake.
There was a 21-gun salute by an Honor Guard, fitting for this man who had served two tours in the Vietnam War.
For whatever reason, the memorial service has sparked a number of memories since then of people who have gone before me, some of them relatives, others just good friends and some still living.
What has stuck in my mind is that I’m grateful to have known these people who had some kind of influence on my life.
Come to mind of course are my parents, my grandparents, an aunt or two and a couple of uncles.
My favorite grandfather died almost 37 years ago. But I learned from him a lot by just the example he set, how to treat people with respect, be kind and gentle. He was such a good man I believe.
He strongly lived his faith and persevered through so many difficult challenges. He loved family and that was the most important thing in life to him. I have so many good memories of him, like him teaching me how to fish and taking me so often to be with him to do that.
I credit my dad with helping me find what I guess I’d call finding my niche in life. He suggested I take a course in journalism in high school and that has led to a career in newspapering that has lasted for more than five decades.
He and mother both showed me how to be strong in my faith. They were adamant about going to church on the days our faith requires. They also encouraged me to participate in youth groups and in sports and other activities.
They were really good parents.
My Uncle Eddie, who never married, always had time for me and the other many nieces and nephews. But I was closer to him than any other uncle and a lot of that stemmed from the circumstances in our early lives that carried on until his death more than seven years ago.
Aunt Bonnie and Aunt Barbara were my favorites, only because I was closest to them. Aunt Barbara died at the age of 38. My Aunt Bonnie died 11 years ago.
Both grandmothers were sweet and kind and always set examples in my life.
Some of those who have had an impact on my life are still very much alive. I’ve learned from them how to trust people and how to question the motives of others.
Don’t want to name any so as to hurt the feelings of someone I may accidentally leave out.