In Peace

 

Paradise to a city kid

I remember being a little scared when my aunt started dating him. She was a rock in my quicksand world and I was worried that she might shift away from me.

Instead of that he swiftly became another solid place to lean when times got shaky, a mentor, a friend, and like a second father all my life.

The barn where I learned to love farming

I learned to love farming and respect farmers in my deepest heart, running tame on his family's farm, playing in the creek and jumping out of the haymow in late summer. Falling asleep to the call of the Whippoorwills and waking to the songs of the robins. It was paradise to a city kid with a wild love of animals and a deep need for the outdoors and a peaceful place to learn and grow. I loved it there and I loved the people who made it feel safe and welcoming.

After I was all raised up and turned loose on the world, married to my own sturdy farmer and reveling in it, it was a thing of great joy and satisfaction to talk cows and fields and weather with him.

I learned so very much from him, not least what a great work ethic and a real interest in other people looks like. When you talked to him you knew he was really listening and cared about your thoughts and words.

He left this world yesterday after a long, hard struggle and left a lot of empty hearts behind him. It is often said when someone passes that they left the world a better place than they found it....with my Uncle Rich it is true for so very many people....he is going to be missed.