Goodbye to a Beloved Uncle

I got a call from my mom a week ago, Sunday. She sounded sad when she left me a voice message and when I called her back, she told me that my Uncle Ron had passed away that morning. It didn't sink in right away. It still doesn't feel real and it's been a week and a half. I still feel like I'll see him next time we go to Riverside. I wish we would have made it down there more often.

I love my Uncle Ron. It was so fun to visit him. I knew that when we were going to see Uncle Ron, we'd have good food and laugh until our cheeks hurt. Some of the best meals I've ever had were made by Chef Fry. When he used to barbecue, he'd give us little bits to taste that he called, "cheater meat." His beef jerky put all other beef jerky to shame.

His sense of humor never failed. You could count on his sly wit and impeccable timing to have the whole room laughing. He loved us, even though we may have annoyed him. He was patient with me. When I was very young, I'd steal his seat every time he left it. He smiled and resisted the urge to forcefully remove me from his chair. He won my heart by calling me, "the pretty one." He was a character.

I will miss him. I'm sad that my children won't get to know him in this life. I'm comforted in my belief that I will see him again one day. Goodbye, Uncle Ron, until we meet again.

My family at the Memorial.