Two years ago. . . .
The golden rays of dawn
had not begun to paint the sky.
We'd just barely said hello . . . .
How could I tell you Goodbye?
The spring had barely sprung,
But God has called you Home.
You were my joy, my light, my strength
You're gone. . . It's dark. I'm lost. . . . Alone
When we first met, I said to myself that you were the nicest person, I had ever dated. I felt like I had always known you. Our conversation was so easy. You were such a gentleman and treated me like such a lady. However, it wasn't until I saw your painting below that I got real hope that maybe I would want to know you better. I took one look at this and thought, "This guy is a real character. Who would have ever thought of a Hell's Angel cellist."1. Randy had a marvelous sense of humor.
2. Randy was so creative and shared his talents with others.
He drew this on a poster advertising a Chili Cook-off for a church activity. When I saw the poster, I framed the artwork and hung it in the kitchen after I married Randy. I used to tell dinner guests, "That is our chef. Eat if you dare," but they were always pleasantly surprised because Randy was a terrific cook. He made salsa every year, too.
8. Randy taught himself to swim as a boy and felt so adept in the water that he became a white water river rafting guide before he went on his mission. He obviously taught his sons to like the water, too. Steve loves fishing, but Dee prefers his water frozen so he can play hockey with his friends.
3. Randy was appointed to the Safety Patrol when he was in the 6th grade.
He would wear his badge when he helped the children cross the street after school. I bet his mom was so proud of him. Interestingly, he later became the Safety Steward for the Union when he worked at Kennicott.
4. Randy was so handsome he could have been a movie star.
Well, that is what I thought when I first saw Randy when he was Best Man at Rich Holdaway's wedding, and I am sure that is what Vickie thought when she first saw him, too. His cousin Laura told me that all his girl cousins said the same thing. (By the way, Randy told me that he first fell in love with Vickie's beautiful hair.)
5. Randy adored his children and grandchildren.
He always told me that his family was the most important thing in his life. After his children left home, he said that when he could talk to all of them in one day, it was like hitting a Home Run.
6. Randy received the American Spirit Honor Medal.
"It is the highest individual award which can be bestowed on a recruit in training. It is only given to those who show outstanding qualities of leadership, namely those of honor, initiative, loyalty and are a high example to their comrades in arms."
7. Randy obviously liked to play with Legos and, as a rule, persevered to the end when challenged. It took him a week to build the Kitty Hawk aircraft carrier pictured below. It was a labor of love since he was assigned to be on the "Kitty" when he was in the Navy.
8. Randy taught himself to swim as a boy and felt so adept in the water that he became a white water river rafting guide before he went on his mission. He obviously taught his sons to like the water, too. Steve loves fishing, but Dee prefers his water frozen so he can play hockey with his friends.
9. Randy loved babies.
Just look at the expression on his face as he is holding his new baby Nickie the day she was born.
10. Randy was musically talented.
He had a gorgeous base voice, played the trombone, and taught himself how to play the guitar. He also loved that his schedule permitted him to be home, so he could tend baby, Tricia.
11. Randy loved baseball, especially the Chicago Cubs.
He was a pitcher when in high school and loved teaching his sons how to play baseball. His favorite time of year began when the first baseball games were broadcast on TV and it ended with the World series. He could never get enough of baseball.
12. Randy liked to play "pinata ball" when family birthdays rolled around.
13. Randy's secret ambition was to have been an animator/cartoonist for Warner Brothers.
Hence he had Looney Tune and Disney ornaments on his Christmas tree every year. His favorite was the Tasmanian Devil Angel as the tree topper. Later on, he branched out and put miniature car ornaments on the tree, as well.
14. Randy's was a creative writer and illustrator.
He illustrated several college level French books, and his last and most incredible work was when he wrote, illustrated, and published his Christmas book:
15. Randy loved to build, buy, and proudly display vintage model cars.
16. Randy loved big cars, too.
His favorite was his 1965 Buick Riviera Gran Sport.
17. Randy liked to make lighted Christmas balls and give them away as presents.
I am hoping someone in the family watched him closely enough, so that they could continue his tradition into the next generation.
18. Randy had fun playing dolls
(if he had the right playmate.)
19. Randy loved to play with blocks.
(He never ran out of ideas for building the most unusual buildings.)
20. He liked to start pillow fights.
21. He also loved snowball fights.
Ethan look out! You can't see what is coming. (Dec. 2007)
22. He delighted grandkids with spooky stories.
23. He was a special guest at Trevor's Kindergarten Halloween party.
10/31/2007
24. Randy was a word puzzle genius.
He could solve a Jumble in 30 seconds and a Crytoquote in 5 minutes. He was never stumped. The Navy recognized his ability and wanted him to become a cryptographer or code writer/ breaker for them. However, that meant he would have had to re-enlist for at least 6 more years, so he declined. Whenever Randy and I would visit Camille's family in Arizona, he would take a pile of newspapers, so he could do word puzzles in his spare time. When the grandsons saw him doing them, they all joined in, even Camille was trying to learn how to solve a Cryptoquote.
25. Randy was one of the bravest men I have ever known.
He truly exhibited "Courage under Fire" not only when on the river assault forces in VietNam, but after the grim diagnosis that his cancer had returned. Not once did he tell me he was frightened, nor did I see him be rude to the nurses. They all loved him and argued over who could take care of him. Along with my dad, he became my hero. I am writing this lengthy post, so that Randy can become a hero to his the grandchildren, as well.
26. Randy loved to make people laugh.
My life is so dull with him not around. Sometimes we would go to bed and he would just make me so laugh hard. After Randy retired from Kennicott, I noticed that he had the same routine every morning. Before starting the puzzles, he would first read through the obituaries, and then announce to me, "Well, I don't see my name, so I guess that means I can get started for the day."
Seventeen months after he passed away, I found this in the paper and saved it until I found the the right time to post it on my blog. Please don't consider me irreverent on a day like this, but if Randy were here, he would try to make us laugh:
Can anybody solve the puzzle?
Let's keep his tradition alive and see who can do it first.
27. Randy painted this 7 foot eagle to be used
at Eagle Scout Courts of Honor.
However, it had not been used since Dee got his Eagle. Randy once told me about making it and he wondered what happened to it, so after Randy died, I started asking people in the stake where it was. It took over a year, but they finally found it in the Scout closet at the stake center. They invited me to a court of honor, so I could see it displayed, and then they surprised me by presenting it to me. They even made a special box for me to display it in. However, I promised the Stake President I would bring it back for every Eagle Scout Court of Honor.
28. Let's start a new family tradition in Randy's honor.
Shortly after the eagle was found, Chase was to become an Eagle Scout. I think it would be a wonderful tradition for all of Randy's grandsons and eventually his great-grandsons if they would display this eagle when they become Eagle Scouts. It would give each one of them a worthwhile goal and a tangible way for them to connect with their marvelous grandfather. So I Fed-Exed" the eagle down to Chase for his Court of Honor last October. I hope God permitted Randy to see Chase use it.
May we all keep Randy alive, so the grandchildren will want to grow up to be like him.
Randy, I love you so much, I miss you more today, than I did 2 years ago. Many people said it would get easier as the years go by. For me, it only gets harder because every day that passes is one more day I have without your wonderful companionship.
You were truly my best friend.
I miss the laughter, I miss the books you wanted to publish but never had the chance, and my heart hurts because I can't watch you play with the grandkids.
The world may someday know why the first reindeer couldn't fly,
but they will never know the adventures they missed by finding a big box,
they will never know what a Huffarilla or an Ostruffin are,
and they will never find out who really is in charge of Halloween.
Randy you were truly one of a kind--Unique au monde
