I have been blessed in my life with some great uncles. Uncles are the guys that teach you stuff that others might not teach you. My Uncle Ron, who passed away this year, for example taught me how to swear! Where else would I learn that? Cousins teach you stuff as well like how to tie your shoes.
I have uncles that have had some great jobs. One owned his own bar, how cool is that? One was a pilot on the Panama Canal, one worked for IBM back when no one knew what IBM was and two of my uncle owned their own businesses and had some really cool construction stuff!
This week one more of my uncles passed away. Uncle Dick was soon to be 85 years old and was a really funny guy. They lived far away from us in Colorado, as well as other places so I really did not know him that well. Two years ago we had a family reunion in Tennessee and Uncle Dick was there. The years had made him a little different but he was still funny. One thing with people when they get older they get to say whatever they want whenever they want! Oh how I long for those days. One day I drove Uncle Dick to Nashville, we were going on a lunch cruise, and I think my sides still hurt from laughing. I am so glad I got to spend a few days with him then. I found out that uncle Dick served in the Navy and Marines during both World War II and Korea he was also a Massachusetts State Trooper. He died on Veterans Day, a fitting tribute I think to his service to our country.
So get to know your uncles, have them teach you stuff, you see since we are not your parents we can teach you really cool stuff and get away with it and like grandparents, we can let you eat whatever you want!
I have posted a picture along with this essay that has my six uncles and my dad, from my mother’s side of the family. I am not sure when this picture was taken or where but you can see that they all liked to be together. My uncle Dick is the one on the left in the plaid shirt. My uncle Jim, the one who owned his own bar, is the one in front with the big grin! By the way, my dad is the one way on the back grinning from ear to ear.
So to Uncle Jim (who I never knew), Charlie Phil, Dick, Herb, Jimmy, and Uncle Ron (my dad’s brother) thanks for all life’s lessons that you taught me but most especially thanks for posing for that picture you guys were crazy! (I have realy cool aunts as well!)
