Goodbye, Major

I’ve just been informed that my next door neighbor, a gentleman of 91, has passed away. He was a heck of a man. Like my Dad, he served in World War II, in Europe. He was a Lieutenant in the 10th Armored at that time. He and my Dad (who was in the 9th Armored) surely crossed paths several times–before he stopped 3 German machine gun bullets while leading an attack.

After convalescing from that, he stayed in the Army after the war, and eventually retired a Major. Then he started another career. During all this, he raised a huge family–you need a scorecard now to keep track of kids, grandkids and great grandkids.

I had the privilege of knowing him for only 4 years. It could have been 40 and I would still have had more to learn from him.

Major, I’m going to miss you. I grieve your passing; I thank God you lived and I got to know you, if just for a brief time. His wife told me that he was a wonderful man, a great husband and father, and a patriot. That seems a fitting epitaph for him.