Sad...
I got a phone call this morning: an elderly cousin died. E was 92.
I barely knew the man -- except for some exchanges on Facebook in recent years, I had not spoken to him since my wedding in 1987.
But one upon a time he was my father's best friend. They met in the Army during WW II. E was 5 days older than my dad, they were drafted at the same time. E grew up in the Bronx, my dad grew up in Brooklyn. And get this -- they had the same surname! It's a fairly common Jewish name, so no surprises that two young men with the same name, who were not related, would wind up in the same Army unit.
After the war, E introduced my dad to E's younger cousin, M. Eventually M and my dad fell in love, got married and produced four daughters. If my dad had never met E, he would never have met my mom, and I wouldn't be here.
My mom and dad weren't as close to E in later years. But E was devastated when my dad passed away four years ago.
Here's a photo of E in uniform.
And one of E and my dad...
Yes, they served in Italy.
Just yesterday I told a friend that my dad was horribly seasick on the troop ship headed to Europe, and that E had to take care of him...
E's passing is stirring up the feelings from four years ago, when my my dad died.
Rest in peace, cousin. And may your memory remain for a blessing.
I barely knew the man -- except for some exchanges on Facebook in recent years, I had not spoken to him since my wedding in 1987.
But one upon a time he was my father's best friend. They met in the Army during WW II. E was 5 days older than my dad, they were drafted at the same time. E grew up in the Bronx, my dad grew up in Brooklyn. And get this -- they had the same surname! It's a fairly common Jewish name, so no surprises that two young men with the same name, who were not related, would wind up in the same Army unit.
After the war, E introduced my dad to E's younger cousin, M. Eventually M and my dad fell in love, got married and produced four daughters. If my dad had never met E, he would never have met my mom, and I wouldn't be here.
My mom and dad weren't as close to E in later years. But E was devastated when my dad passed away four years ago.
Here's a photo of E in uniform.
And one of E and my dad...
Yes, they served in Italy.
Just yesterday I told a friend that my dad was horribly seasick on the troop ship headed to Europe, and that E had to take care of him...
E's passing is stirring up the feelings from four years ago, when my my dad died.
Rest in peace, cousin. And may your memory remain for a blessing.
I am so sorry...I understand about not keeping in touch, so many aunts, uncles, cousins...after my grandparents passed away (they were the glue honest) It seems everyone just went their separate ways.
ReplyDeletethey become the wedding, funeral and bar mitzvah people. I made two bat mitzvahs, I'm sure my cousin was invited, but I don't remember seeing him there. I don't remember who showed up at my father's funeral four years ago, either.
ReplyDeletethere's a photo on facebook, about 6-7 years ago my mom and dad were invited to a family bat mitzvah, and E was there, too, sitting right next to my dad. I wasn't at that bat mitzvah, but when the picture was posted....two octogenarians who'd known each other since they were 18....
I'm so sorry. It's hard when someone like this passes, even when they haven't been exactly present in your life for a while.
ReplyDelete