My Big Brother

While rumaging through some old papers, I ran across the 2001 newspaper clipping of my brother Bob's obituary. It brought back many years of memories of his life to me. Stories too numerous to tell so I will post here, some of those memories.

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• He was an unmerciful tease
  
• He was loving and kind


• He was handsome and charming


• He was a gentleman to everyone


• He loved every family member unconditionally


• He was the first and last person who ever spanked my butt, and I deserved it


• He gave me twenty bucks for getting straight "A's" on one of my report cards. It was like getting a million dollars in 1957


• He was "Uncle Bob" to every little kid he met


• He loved kids!


• Women loved him-a "there's something about him" type of guy


• He loved and honored his Mother until the day he died


• He was generous to a fault


• He bought me the first "restaurant" meal of my life, when I was ten


• He believed in the rights of the "working" man and spent his adult life working to improve them


• He preached, to his younger siblings, the value of an honest days work


• He was a Father figure in my life


• He was the first one there the day I broke my leg


• He was at the hospital when each of my babies were born


• He let me take his precious 55 Caddie cruzin' when I was in High School


• He owned and drove a Harley in his youth


• He loved to dance, especially with my Mom


• He served as an Idaho State Senator


• He attended the Harvard School of Labor Relations


• He served as director of the Idaho State Department of Labor and Industrial Services


• He served as President of the AFL-CIO for the State of Idaho


• He was director of the International Union of the Operating Engineers, serving 11 Western states


• He served as a consultant in the Idaho, Utah and Montana Legislatures


• He loved to fish, hunt and camp with his family


• He was happiest when he was at our large family gatherings


• He loved to build things, always having a project going


• He had a great sense of humor and loved telling funny stories


• He had no patience for laziness


• He spoiled his wife, kids, and grandkids


• He would give anyone in need the shirt off his back


• He saved my ass when I needed it most-I didn't ask, he just "knew" I needed help


• He underwent open heart surgery at least three times, the last with a zero chance of survival. He survived for another twelve years. The Heart Specialist in Salt Lake called him the "Miracle Man"


• He died too soon at the age of 67


• His family and friends still love him and he is sorely missed

Bobby, you were the best brother a girl could have! I'll see you at the old fishin' hole..........someday.