Thank you all for coming and expressing your respect and love for my father and family. I can’t
tell you how blessed I am to have him as my father, mentor and friend.

As my father, he was my foundation. He was the calm word of reason when I was trying to
plead my case as to why I was right and why someone else was wrong. He was forever trying to
teach us patience, compassion and forgiveness. If you know me then you know that I was
testing his ability to practice what he preached on a daily basis. He encouraged me to be
independent and self sufficient. Not too long ago my dad and I were discussing my favorite
rebuttal to his words of wisdom: I would say I know that you’re probably right but I need to go
out and try it for myself. I was only able to say that because I knew at the end of the day I could
count on him to be there to catch me or congratulate me, whichever one the outcome called for.
As kids we spent countless hours terrorizing my father’s office staff. We quickly found out that
he had given them permission to disciple us if needed. Who does that?! But that was my father.
He loved to work and he loved those that he worked with and for. If you have ever worked with
my father or hired him to be your attorney then you know that you instantly became a part of our
“adopted family”. Our adopted family was as big a part of our lives as was our “blood” family
members.

As a mentor and friend he was always willing to be transparent and didn’t feel that anything was
off limits for discussion. We always knew that we had someone to tell our secret to and that he
wouldn’t expose it to anyone. His integrity was not just saved for his professional life but he also
applied it to his personal life. He was a role model and he took that role seriously. He was a firm
believer in honest, hard work and helping others. It is my hope that I will continue to make him
proud and never forget what he was taught us.

As a child I remember telling him how I hoped that I would go to heaven before he did because I
wouldn’t know what to do without him. He gently told me that he thought he should go first and
make sure everything was ready for me. That was my dad- putting everyone ahead of himself.
At the mortuary I found a poem that I would like to read that I think tells us all what he would
want to tell us:

To Those I Love and Those Who Love Me:
When I am gone, release me, let me go.
I have so many things to see and do,
You mustn’t tie yourself to me with tears,
Be thankful for our many beautiful years.
I gave to you my love,
You can only guess how much
You gave to me in happiness.
I thank you for the love each have shown,
But now it’s time I travelled alone.
So grieve for me awhile if grieve you must,
Then let your grief be comforted by trust,
It’s only for a time that we must part.
So bless the memories within your heart.
I won’t be far away, for life goes on.
So if you need me, call and I will come.
Though you cannot see and touch me I’ll be near.
And if you listen with your heart you’ll hear;
All my love around you, soft and clear.
And then, when you must come this way,
Alone I’ll greet you with a smile and say,
“Welcome Home”.