Thursday, September 21, 2017
First and foremost our family would like to thank all of you for your support, kind words, prayers, and for being here with us today.
How does one even begin to pay tribute to a soul like my Grandfather. An incredible 95 years of life, 72 years of marriage, 3 children, 9 grandchildren, 3 great grandchildren and from my calculations, probably close to about 100,000 holes of golf.
He used to tell me frequently how he always felt he'd lived a great, full life. Occasionally wondering how he had been so lucky. He had explored what life had to offer on his own terms; and despite numerous challenges, he never felt slighted. He had his share of living and now it was our turn.
Before I'd shake his hand and head back to my home in Florida, he'd always make sure to leave me with a few key pieces of advice. "Have fun" he would say, "have a good time, enjoy yourself, you've got plenty of time to figure the rest out. As long as you’re healthy and making money, just make sure you have a good time."
He'd ask me to help him with a simple task like bringing in the outdoor chairs for winter, or figuring out why his TV remote wouldn't work. Once I finished in just a few minutes he'd tell me to "shoot him an invoice", and he'd hand me twenty bucks. I'll never forget when I first moved to Florida he handed me a 50, and told me to "get myself a nice sandwich" on the way.
He shared stories of his youth growing up in Bridgeport, getting haircuts at his father’s barbershop, spending his summers on Pleasure Beach and eventually working his way up to foreman at E&F Construction, despite never finishing grade school.
He would often laugh and reminisce about his first date with Grandma. He had picked her up for a night out, and they hadn’t been in the car even 15 minutes when he reached over and placed his hand on her knee. "Take me home!" she said, and the date was over before it started.
The twinkle in his eye while he told that story and any other story involving Grandma was even more proof that their love and bond was everlasting, a marriage that taught me what true love is. I can hear him yelling "Ro!" in the back of my mind, as he was always checking to make sure she was safe, happy, smiling and taken care of. Always putting her and his family before himself.
Through his actions he taught me what it meant to be a great man. To be a man of your word, to be a provider, to have grit, to have thick skin. To have pride in your work and to never stop until its done, and done right. He never believed in doing something half-way.
As he walks off the green on 18 and into the sunset, I'm so thankful to have known him, and to have had him nearby as I formed my understanding of what it means to be great. And I know each of us appreciates all those small moments with him that amount to so much.
We are his legacy, and the greatest thing each of us can do to honor his life is to go out, live, and make sure we have a good time.
I love you Gramps, I'll see you on the Tee.
