Words on August 18, 2007 about John’s death

It has been a long time and in ways it has been a short time since your death six months ago. Your extended family prays for you (and all of us) all the time. People say that “Time heals all wounds.” But I would say time renews all wounds. We will never forget our wounds, but we have learned how to live with them each day.

Your family misses you. We all miss you. You were a shining light that will not go out. The sound of your laugh, light of your smile and presence will be in our thoughts forever. We expect to see you come through the door every day and wish we could give you one last hug or say goodbye for one last time. This will not happen but we still continue to expect it to happen.

Yours was a relatively short life in years but a long life in accomplishments. A husband and father to three children, a grandson, a son, a brother, an uncle, a brother-in-law and a cousin are part of your legacy. All roles you filled in an outstanding personal manner.

Your services to your country (8 years in the US Marine Corps, 10 years in the US Army) all speak to your valor and dedication. Twenty-seven service medals for efforts above and beyond the call of duty received in five wars cannot be underestimated. Few servicemen have duplicated or exceeded this effort. What your future accomplishment could have been is only for you and God to know.

Last week a Chinook helicopter crashed in Iraq killing five US soldiers. We prayed for them and their families as we have prayed for you and your comrades. All the deaths and wounded in this war on terror are on our minds. We want the war to stop and the killing to be over. This will not happen. This also we have to live with and try to understand.

Pray for us John, to know what to do and how to do it. We will live our lives with you as a primary example. Always saying to ourselves, “What would John do in this situation, how would he react, when would he influence the situation?” We will hope to live our lives as a dedication to your commitments, actions and accomplishments.

Your presence will always be felt in our lives. The commitments we have made to support your family will always be honored. Our best example for our lives will be to honor you as our family hero and the man you became from the son your mother and I had. We have seen you grow to tremendous heights and want to remember all the things you have accomplished. We only wish you could have lived to see your daughters graduate, walk them down the aisle when they marry and play with your grandchildren. It will be our legacy to ensure your presence will be felt at family functions and remembered at the family dinner table.

Love, Dad and Mom