I think this quote by John Gillespie Magee, Jr sums it up best for me. "Oh, I have slipped the surly bonds of earth . . . Put out my hand, and touched the face of God".
I would ask you to pray for my family and especially my mom as she learns to live with out him. As we prepare for his funeral on the 11th I was asked to share some of my fond memories of him....
My first memory of Randy was back when he worked in John Hughes' office as a clerk. I was there with my Raggedy Ann doll and she had seen better days. Randy got out a needle and thread and sewed her leg back on.
The Christmas my mom and Randy got engaged, he bought me a pink typewriter....he loved buying things that were unusual or unexpected, like the golf clubs he bought me another Christmas.
When I was a teenager, the bulk of my summers were spent at his office, answering the phone, doing filing, and typing. Once I could drive he would send me on errands to the post office, the courthouse, or my favorite, to get lunch. He definitely knew all the best take out places in the OC.
I'll never forget the look on his face the first time he held Jade, he was truly delighted, and she immediately had him wrapped around her tiny finger.
The last couple of years he would call me (almost always last minute) to go do some shopping for my mom, for Valentine's day, Christmas or their anniversary. Sometimes he would tell me exactly what to get, others he'd say you pick. He was always so generous to her and others.
Last summer, when he was feeling better, I spent most Friday evenings having dinner with my mom and Randy out on their back patio. We talked about the books we'd both read or what the kids were up to and even occasionally theology and politics.
Most recently, after 9 weeks of saying no, my mom could not have one of our puppies, Randy changed his mind and we took her to live at their house. He named her "Missy" and I watched how very quickly she wrapped her paw around his heart. We would often find her sleeping right by his head.
Amy chose for the words; generosity, humor and kindness to be on his headstone. I can't think of anything more appropriate. Hopefully he inspired us all to live that way.
