I want to ...

... talk about my brother, John -

- (Back row: Cousin Phil?? - Frank - John - Front row: Sarah - me- George) -

- John is holding my hand in this picture, and he has always been there for my family and for me. He is kind, smart, caring, and an excellent brother, father, and husband. I have watched him as a boy (five years older than I) grow up to become a man. He gave me my first gun, a .22 bolt-action rifle, when I was 12. Jonny has that rifle today, and I cannot think of anyone better to have it. -

- John took me on many hunting trips. I remember sitting at his side on one side of a deep ravine; and across the ravine, I saw a buck running uphill towards the top of the ridge. I told John, and he had to adjust his glasses to see it. I saw it reach the top as he shot. He did not take that buck home. We both saw it go over the ridge. One time he was watching us kids and took us up to the canyon for a ride. He drove us to Timp Haven and took us on a little walk in the snow. Whether he smelled the deer or saw fresh signs, he told us to stand still and be quite. After he took a few steps, a buck jumped, and he dropped it with one shot. -

- He took me on car rides. I actually fell out of the car on a quick acceleration and a hard turn in a parking lot. The door had not fully closed when he started to drive off. After seeing I was okay, he told me I should have braced myself with my legs to keep me from falling out. -

- His home is always open to us. Of all my nephews and nieces, John and Ann’s children are the ones close to my children. When visiting, they went out of their way to include my kids. This demonstrates the type of parenting of John and Ann. -

- This year, he missed his birthday and may miss all the rest. I can only imagine how hard it will be to celebrate birthday on the day following the anniversary of the death of his son. I vote we change his birthday to April and celebrate his birthday then. I would not be the person I am today without him. -