Those of you who read this blog that are friends of Carter and Marilyn probably have already heard, but for those who haven’t, last night at a little after 7:00pm, Richard Loeppky – Marilyn’s brother, Katie’s Uncle and Godfather, and one of the boys’ surrogate grandfathers – passed away.  This was not unexpected, but no less sad for the anticipation.  There was enough time for his family to come and say goodbye (including ourselves and the boys), though by then he was unresponsive.  I can’t imagine how hard these last couple of years have been, to have his body fail from under him while his mind was still going so strong.  But on the other hand, in the last couple of years he’s seen both of his children re-married to wonderful and loving people, the birth of two grand daughters, and spent a great deal of time with his family, even if that family did perforce include Carter.

I was looking back through our photos trying to find pictures of Dick.  It’s unfortunately difficult, in part because we haven’t seen him as much lately, and also because my camera tends to be always pointed at the boys.  I suppose it’s only fitting, then, that he was in the background of so many photos of family gatherings.

He was there for Christmas and Thanksgiving, birthdays and other celebrations.  Celebrations recent and a little further back.

And back further to a time before time, before I can remember any more, before Boys, and the first family celebration in which he was, to me, family.

Not long before that photo, I’d met him for the first time.  I had the University of Michigan Alum camaraderie going for me, but then the grilling began in earnest.  I had gotten off too light with Carter, it seems, who didn’t really understand the concept of being a father-in-law.  Carter certainly questioned by intentions, but he was trying to warn me away for my sake, not his daughter’s.  And still if I complain about a peccadillo of Katie’s, he’ll remind me that “I warned you…”  Uncle Dick stepped up, but again seemed to misunderstand the role.  He grilled me, but it was about the failing of my undergraduate curriculum and how could it be possible that I would call myself and engineer without ever having taken Linear Algebra?  Oh well.  Loeppky’s and French’s are a little special, I suppose, but they’re family, so what are you going to do?

We’ll miss you, Uncle Dick.  I’m glad our boys got to meet you.