Great Uncle Jim, Aunt Mary, and Cousin Pat
My Aunt Mary was my Dad's Father's Sister. She married my Uncle Jim back before WWII. They had one bachelor son, Pat (or Paddy).
My Uncle was a career Army Vet, serving in Germany and in Fort Dix, NJ reaching the rank of Master Sargent. He loved a good time and once took my brothers and I to the Fort Dix base open house - I remember taking "parachute training" jumping off a tower there when I was around 10 years old.
Aunt Mary and Paddy loved to cook and entertain. My family had many, many enjoyable "afternoons followed by dinner" with them. Paddy loved board games and toy trains - he filled their entire basement with them.
I can still hear my Uncle shouting "Man the scuppers*!!" when we went fishing. I think it was his way of picking fun at Navy guys as well as a line from a Cole Porter song, "A Little Skipper From Heaven Above" sung by Jimmy Durante.
I think Uncle Jim may have been my first Hero. He and his family, who all passed away closely together in time, are remembered most fondly. They are interred in Brigadier General William C. Doyle Memorial Cemetery for US veterans in Arneytown, NJ.
They were a big and bright presence in my family's Thanksgiving Day celebration for many years. So much so, that after this past Thanksgiving, I felt the need to go find their grave site, and it has taken me awhile.
Uncle Jim, I salute you!
* Scuppers are deck drains which remove sea spray and rain water from the topsides of boats.
2 comments:
What an awesome tribute. How sad that the son only out lived dad by 1 month and sadder still that mom outlived both. It couldnt have been easy on her losing a husband and then a son so soon after.
I was going to say what Styxie said but don't need to now. So sad.
Terri's mom lost her husband and her father in less than two months...and then a sister a month later. What is it they say...it comes in threes?
*hugs*
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