Re: OOC: The First Chapter - August 2016
Evening, Folks. Dad passed this morning at 8:04 am, Eastern Time.
Dad was born Harry Elmer Eschbach on December 27, 1925. He was a member of America's 'greatest generation' who gave up a dream to play professional baseball to join the US Army Air Corps. He was a tail gunner in the B-24 Liberator, a heavy bomber, in WWII, making nearly 20 missions in the skies over Europe from 1943-1945. Two months prior to VE Day, he lost his best friend Frank to flak over France. They were like brothers & he claimed he didn't stop weeping for the loss until he returned home.
He used the GI Bill to earn an accounting degree from New York University. He started a family, had three kids, then divorced. A few years later he married again, had 5 more kids (I'm the 4/5 or 7/8 - take your pick) - needless to say, he was fruitful and multiplied.
He worked hard, taking the 4:15 train into New York City every morning, rarely getting home prior to 8pm at night. Still, he found time to teach us how to play baseball, how to pray, how to brush our teeth and how to read. He used to read to us out of Cooper's 'Last of the Mohicans'...and, of course, the Bible.
All of his children have been productive members of society, each more ready to offer respect to a stranger than expect it from a stranger.
He loved my mother dearly. They celebrated their 54th anniversary some 5 days ago on November 15.
There is so much more to tell - this doesn't even come close to telling how great a man my father was. But I do not weep, and ask that you not weep either. Rather celebrate the man, his legacy and his life, for all are worth celebrating.
My thanks for your condolences - and your indulgence in reading what I've penned in Memory.