(August 19, 1920 to April 20, 2013)
Today we are here to memorialize most excellent father “Cliff," as many referred to him, whose life spanned the Great Depression, WWII, and the boon years after those eras. Indeed, he felt he was a fortunate man: lucky to be able to become a lawyer, lucky to have such a talented and wonderful wife, lucky to have seven great children, and lucky to practice the law in the manner in which he wished to do. As many people said of him, “he was a great man; he played the game straight." And, so he did just that no matter whom he met.
I was extremely fortunate to be able to say my good-bye when my father was at home some months back. He asked me one day where he was going and what was going to happen to him. I told him that the Lord would come and take him home. He said that he thought so, too. Then, I put my head on his chest and told him that I would miss him. He told me that we had had a unique communication between us, and we just seemed to hit it off. I began to cry. He said to me, “no, tears.”
Once, he wrote to me when I was having a hard time, and said, “I pray that God will end your ordeal and guide you to a more beneficial to time. I love you, dearly."
Dad, I will feel your presence around every corner, mirrored back to me from numerous people, echoing that of the many, that you were such a great guy. Both you and Mom instilled in us a practicing of the modern responsible citizenry, and for that, I feel honored and grateful. I will stand with you, forever; and it will be very much like the tune, sung by Frank Sinatra when he was with the Tommy Dorsey Band entitled ...
I'll be seeing you;
In every lovely, summer's day;
And everything that's bright and gay;
I'll always think of you that way;
I'll find you in the morning sun;
And when the night is new;
I'll be looking at the moon;
But I'll be seeing you.
God Bless, Dad. I love you. May you rest in peace.
He was true, a most honest man
Weighted in moral dignity
He ran through college and law school
On the GI Bill, his head held high
The father of seven children
The esteemed superior court judge
What more could he want?
Only to honor his truest love, his wife, Dorothy.
He met her on a blind date
Wary of wanting to go
But a sailor said, "all tall men on deck."
He reluctantly decided to go.
A lightning bolt he felt on their first encounter
All said and done, Dorothy he took for his own
It had taken five years to convince her
But love they would strive in
For the rest of their lives
Pure as gold