He worked a few jobs while putting himself through St Johns. My Aunt Ellie remembers his graduation.
He was a Captain in the US Army Air Corp and piloted some 50 missions in the B-24 Liberator before he was 21 years old. The Distinguished Flying Cross was one of several medals he received. One of the more iconic pictures of him comes from this time.
He loved many things including the water, gardening, golf, hiking, and Duke Basketball. I managed to pick up just about everything but the golf (thus far). I remember doing all of these things with him. He took me clamming on Long Island and we looked at mushrooms in the woods. On a trip to visit Grammy and PopPop in New Jersey I "planted" about 30 sticks in their front yard. He wasn't grumpy and when I visited again in the spring, to a lawn erupting in crocuses, he told me they had turned to flowers. In my defense, I took a little convincing, and it was a awhile before I realized he swapped sticks for bulbs. He taught me about good college basketball and I probably should have given him a cut for winning that NCAA pool in high school.
He was a man of faith who was involved in social justice issues, and later ministering to migrants and the homeless.
He had 6 children, 13 grands, and 6 great grands. Mostly I am happy that he was able to meet the girls. It was an effort for him to be out and about then, about two summers ago. I'm glad that he was able to hold them both and report that Em was his "favorite" -- following her stellar performance, and her sister's less-than-stellar performance. He was nothing if not sarcastic.
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| This would be Em. |
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| This would be Char. |
Goodbye, Grandpa. I've no doubt you are in a better place, but you are missed.
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