The Road to Sixty – Day 115
My father-in-law was laid to rest today. I was honored to speak at his funeral.
It wasn’t easy.
I loved my Father-in-law since the day i met him. His wit and humor, his work ethic and especially his faith.
What many did not know about him was he did not have more than a 4th grade education. A different day and time. he never went back to school. Instead he went to work and oh what a worker he was. He could drive and control any piece of heavy equipment, but his specialty was cranes. I remember being in downtown Louisville driving and he would point out buildings and say, “I helped build that one”, or he would be watching an operator and tell the the wrong things that he did. I would always get a chuckle at the expertise he would show.
Then he opened the tree business. Starting from scratch, he built if from a small truck and a few chainsaws to big trucks and bigger business and a reputation to match.
He treated everyone fairly. He loved people.
He could fix about anything that was broken. Before Google and YouTube, he could fix many things.
There are many PHD’s and scholars that I would put my Father-in-law up against. My Father-in-law would win.
His love for his family and his Lord was amazing. You never questioned his allegiance.
I hate what Alzheimers does to a person. How it takes them away from family and friends.
I made this comment today, “while Alzheimers may have taken Kenny away from many of us, there was one who it did not take away from… My mother-in-law. She was by his side for many years and especially the last 2 years. He never left her. He would listen to her and the one thing you could assure is the look he would give her. That look of love and confidence and trust could be seen in his eyes.
She took care of him.
Thanks mom.
So today was hard..we laughed and we cried.
Tomorrow is a new day. Lord willing.
Till tomorrow…
Jerry Elder 