sometimes small town guys go farther than one thinks...

I have always called Ligonier Valley my hometown, but I didn't live in the town and was living on Darlington Road along side the Loyalhanna Creek that cut through the Chestnut Ridge that lay West of Ligonier Valley. I left for college and then adventures with the military service of my country and its best intentions. So I think having been elsewhere and seen and done a bit I can pretend to be a ex-resident expert on small town boy goes far.

I was thinking of that at the memorial for my friend and brother-in-law, William Gerald Leibel, Jr (Jerry), today. He kind of stayed home while I was wandering but then I realized that he had traveled to England with my sister to visit their daughter in her Air Force service, had gone to Colorado for the Renasiance Fair wedding of my brother's son, gone to Hawaii to visit and attend the wedding of my son in the Navy and in love, he did get around.

The minister said kind and good words about Jerry, and knew we all cared very much about Jerry and knew he couldn't catch more than we were sure Jerry was a very good man - in a fight, in a family, in his role as father - all a very good man. But they, my sister and her daughters picked a perfect place to say good-bye, it had a long white sand road to get to the park, the creek was perfect to the jumping fish and the dolphin, the breeze was cooling and the day was fine and we remembered Jerry and our lives with him. My mother had written her memories and I and my sister read them and shared our thoughts about her memories, good thoughts.

As I thought about how small town boys leave and travel, and that Jerry really hadn't, I looked a second time and realized he wasn't frozen in that place nor our hearts, but was going out with his daughters and wife, and his son-in-laws, and grandchildren into their futures. Kind of always there, a solid reference an anchor when you wanted an expert opinion - well, their dad would have done it this way, or would have said this about that, or not said anything at all unless it was 'do you need any help?' That part of Jerry that he gave away with his love will go on into our future, and we will be happy to pass it on, wherever the road leads us.