Rick’s wife of 37 years died in February, 2010. Her urn had held a place of honor in his home office ever since. Highest on his list of “final requests” was his desire for the two of them to have their urns buried together at Willamette National Cemetery. He was...
“I want my Memorial Service at the Venetian,” Rick told me too many times to count. “I want a slide show and a reception and I want you to do the eulogy.” The first time he brought the subject up, he was preparing for a surgery to replace his 7-year-old ICD...
Today is the first Sunday in May, and that makes it Loyalty Day in the United States, rivaling only the Fourth of July for patriotism, parades, and enthusiastic flag waving in this small community in which I live. In the past, I’ve enjoyed many of the varied...
I’m having a really tough time. Rick died on April 3rd—nearly a month ago—and I have not had a decent night’s sleep since. I thought his death would be somewhat “easier” for me to accept by now, but it’s just not happening. And when I do sleep, I grind my teeth It’s...
“If one of the kittens is a gold tabby,” said Rick a little over a year ago, “I’m thinking of keeping it and naming it Theo, whether it’s a boy or a girl.” “Are you asking my permission?” I queried. “Well, if something happens to me…” Rick’s voice...
