fred

We are going to a funeral today.

One of Miriam’s high school class mates died last week.

Fred was one of the good guys. His profession as a mortician was dignified and underrated at times. He was calm and steady, a good father and husband for 47 years.

Fred’s family lived in this town in those days. His wife’s family did too. She is ill with cancer. It is sad. Fred and Shar moved back a year or two ago to be closer to a daughter and her family.

Miriam’s class of about 25 has suffered a lot of losses in the past 51 years. Some we had kept track of, some we lost. But each loss diminishes us a little bit.

Our school was a small church supported boarding high school. In those days we had 70 some students. We knew each other pretty well, I guess. My class, the year before had fewer members, but somehow the class of Miriam and Fred has had more deaths than mine, a lot more.

But we are that age, I guess. Jim is not doing any better, David gets out of the hospital today, but his health is a bit precarious. We have another friend named Fred who has been taking treatments for prostate cancer. My health is good, I think, but what do I know?

To the Freds of the world: We salute you for your steadiness, your ability to get along, and get things done.

Truly rest in peace.