Willie

Russ and I lost our friend Willie this week.  He passed away Sunday night, after a year of health issues that just couldn't be surmounted.  We are going to miss him very much.

Russ has known Willie most of his life.  He actually started out as the friend of his older brothers, Sam and Stan.  But as Russ grew older, Will became a friend in his own right.  These past few days we have spent some time reminiscing about Willie and the good times shared over the years.

Here is what I know about Willie.  I heard that in the 50's he was a Golden Glove boxer.  Hard for me to imagine him as a scrappy fighter, altho Roseanne assures me he was scrappy all his life.  To me he seemed a sweet man, and I know that no man likes to be labeled as sweet, but nevertheless, that is how I saw him.  And while we're talking about the 50's, he always wore that modified flattop hairdo, so popular with guys in that era.

 He has a wonderful wife....a really, really wonderful wife.  What has impressed me over the years, is how much they respected each other, and how nicely they spoke of each other....a match for life.  Will was proud of his family.  When speaking of his daughters, he always referred to them by their full names.  Diana was always Diana, and Ann Marie, always Ann Marie.  Kinda like royalty....no nicknames and I'm sure that's how he saw them.  But Billy was Billy.  Sons should have nicknames, easier to have a beer with I guess.

Will liked to hunt and loved going to hunting camp.  I don't know exactly what went on there....I suppose some poker and some beer drinking, after all, like Vegas, what happens at deer camp, stays at deer camp!  But I know that everyone had a good time, from the "edited" versions I heard when Russ and Joe came home.  How many times Russ chuckled over some "Willie" story over the years.

He loved tripe, and how!  Whenever Russ put up a big pot of tripe, he always made some extra for Will and Roseann.  I don't know exactly what it is about tripe...the name doesn't even sound good, let alone the sight and smell of it as it cooks, but he loved it.  We will be thinking of him with every kettle we put up from now on. 

One year Russ and I decided to try our hand at making wine.  Willie gave us seven crates of Niagaras and we ended up with some of the finest wine I've ever tasted.  We couldn't duplicate that wine as we didn't write down the "recipe", but Will found out that I liked white wine, so after that, he always brought me a bottle or two of his homemade vino and always asked how I liked it.  One year, he brought me a case....that's twelve bottles!  He told me that Roseanne said it was too sour, but he told me to put a pinch or two of sugar in each glass and it would be better.  So that's what I did.  Plus it was a perfect accompaniment to Hershey kisses.  It almost became a metaphor for living life....when life gets sour, add a pinch of sugar and eat chocolate!  Thanks, Will!

Will collected friends like bees collect pollen.  He has friendships that have lasted 60 years or more.  If you were his friend, you were a friend for life.  Everyone will miss him.

I hope his family can take some comfort in these sad days in knowing how much Will was loved, and how fondly he will be remembered. May songs of the angels welcome him, and may he rest in the tender arms of his Saviour.