Gentlemen,
This evening I went to a memorial for a good family friend who, after a two year battle with a degenerative disease, passed away at age 78.
I live in a mid-sized southern city, just to place the setting. Besides being a very good family friend, he was also a very well respected member of the business and philanthropic community here.
Personally, for me, it was like the death of an uncle. My folks are very broken up about it. As am I, honestly. For my own part, you won't find a cooler, funnier, better man these days. They just don't make em like this anymore, imo.
As the eulogy was read by his son something that was said struck me that I thought was pertinent to this community. This man was beloved. Truly beloved. A joke was made about how women loved him. A quick, appropriate laugh was had, but when I looked back on the crowd, I saw dozens, literally, dozens of women in tears.
Our friend was best described as a good fellow. He did his own thing in all things, at times, to his detriment. He had two marriages, a son who loved him but was wary of his way, a daughter who hated him, an ex wife, and a second wife who, despite being bat**** crazy (and my mother's best friend) dilligently stuck by his side to the very end. He was a shark in his field of business, but very generous of his time for charity. He hunted. He fished. He skiied. He ate and drank well. He got drunk on the beach. Personally, I consider myself privileged to have gotten to sit and sip scotch with him on the back porch with the old man listening to his jokes. My dad, by the way, loved the man and is beside himself.
Everyone loved him. There were hundreds of people at his service. Many were there from the business community. Many were there for the family. Many were there to support his adult kids. But hundreds came and all came from a standpoint of respect.
When the mention of what a perfect gentleman he was and how truly suave he was, every woman present wept. Hundreds of women, of all ages. Literally, from his small granddaughters to 80 year old women who knew him in elementary school. And half the men, too. Including me.
It's not just about getting laid, fellas.
How will you be remembered? How will I?
This evening I went to a memorial for a good family friend who, after a two year battle with a degenerative disease, passed away at age 78.
I live in a mid-sized southern city, just to place the setting. Besides being a very good family friend, he was also a very well respected member of the business and philanthropic community here.
Personally, for me, it was like the death of an uncle. My folks are very broken up about it. As am I, honestly. For my own part, you won't find a cooler, funnier, better man these days. They just don't make em like this anymore, imo.
As the eulogy was read by his son something that was said struck me that I thought was pertinent to this community. This man was beloved. Truly beloved. A joke was made about how women loved him. A quick, appropriate laugh was had, but when I looked back on the crowd, I saw dozens, literally, dozens of women in tears.
Our friend was best described as a good fellow. He did his own thing in all things, at times, to his detriment. He had two marriages, a son who loved him but was wary of his way, a daughter who hated him, an ex wife, and a second wife who, despite being bat**** crazy (and my mother's best friend) dilligently stuck by his side to the very end. He was a shark in his field of business, but very generous of his time for charity. He hunted. He fished. He skiied. He ate and drank well. He got drunk on the beach. Personally, I consider myself privileged to have gotten to sit and sip scotch with him on the back porch with the old man listening to his jokes. My dad, by the way, loved the man and is beside himself.
Everyone loved him. There were hundreds of people at his service. Many were there from the business community. Many were there for the family. Many were there to support his adult kids. But hundreds came and all came from a standpoint of respect.
When the mention of what a perfect gentleman he was and how truly suave he was, every woman present wept. Hundreds of women, of all ages. Literally, from his small granddaughters to 80 year old women who knew him in elementary school. And half the men, too. Including me.
It's not just about getting laid, fellas.
How will you be remembered? How will I?
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