It was an emotional day today. A lot of people said goodbye to my uncle Tony, a lot of people who cared about him…and it was a LOT of people.
That’s the thing that I will remember the most about Tony; he was easy to get along with. His laugh was infectious, he had a very sly, very mischievous sense of humor, and he loved, LOVED good food…particularly fish. Fishing was his passion. Family was his other.
He raised several generations of children, he and my aunt Susan…and he caught some of the biggest fish in Oregon.
I knew him most on camping trips. We’d camp along the Rogue, go swimming while he went fishing, or picked berries. I loved those trips. They were the best. Cousins were the best.
Man…I am so tired right now. It’s past midnight again and time for bed…but it was so, so wonderful seeing Susan, my mom, my dad, Seth, Scot and Addie of course, who we rode down with all day, Andrea, Anthony, Tiffany his wife and their adorable children, Adam, whom I haven’t seen in probably 20 years, David, William, Cassie, Azalea, Jeremy who was my older brother I never had, Angela and their three kids Cam, Sam, and Sophie, Juan who I last saw when he was “Juanito,”…and more that I’m sure I’m forgetting.
Family means a lot to me, and it was really, really nice to see these people. We don’t get that pleasure enough.
Tony…you have a good family. You were always good family to me, and for that, I thank you. I’ll never forget your fresh fish fry you made once at the campground on the Rogue. You covered the fish with an herb rub of some kind, maybe with cornmeal (?) and spices…plopped it on a frying pan, and then we ate it with freshly made tortillas…and it was one of the best meals of my life. I remember thinking that I wished I could eat your cooking every day.
I will miss you. Thank you for being such a good man.
Good night!