Memories

 

My cousin, Joan, came across the above photograph she took of my Uncle Butch and my dad in 1984 at her son, Gary Lee’s high school graduation party. Gary Lee died January 21, 2024.

Butch was the husband of my mom’s older sister, Betty, and is the father of Doug and Tammy. We visited with Tammy and her husband, Kent, in Alabama this past spring, and then with Doug and his wife, Karen, in June when we were staying in Michigan.

While growing up our family went to visit with my Uncle Butch and Aunt Betty on their farm outside of Bryan, Ohio two or three times a month. I mostly spent time together with Tammy (two years older than me) and had a fun time whether it was playing school in their upstairs playroom or reading teen magazines together. I was in awe of Doug who was four years older than me. He had a tree house in the woods on their property. My Uncle Butch was one of my favorite people in the entire world. He was funny and ornery.

My dad and Butch always appeared to enjoy their time together. In the early 1980’s my dad and mom went Polka dancing with Betty and Butch. My dad loved dancing. Butch and dad both smoked cigarettes and drank beer. Butch also made his own wine over the years.

One of my favorite memories was after 1994 when Joe and I took all three of our children to Ohio. By then Betty and Butch had sold the farmhouse and built a home on the other side of the woods they owned. We spent an afternoon visiting with them. Butch made the kids s’mores in the microwave. They loved my uncle. It was a wonderful afternoon filled with laughter.

When I think about my dad’s death at fifty-three in 1989, I feel sad that he never met Megan, Joe, Nate, and Lauren. He would have loved each of them. And like Butch he would have made a visit with him memorable. I always appreciate hearing from my cousins how much they liked “Uncle Kenny.” Yes, he was the dad who had you pull his finger when he passed gas. He taught us all to fish, my brothers to hunt, and what determination looked like in the face of obstacles.

When I saw this picture pop up on Facebook earlier this week. I burst into tears. I loved these two men fiercely. I am grateful to have had them in my life. I sure do miss them.