(Eulogy - 01-09-98 - Scott David Fitzwater)
RUSTY
RUSS
R P DOODLE
I ADMIRED HIS STRENGTHS
I FEARED HIS ANGER AND PAIN
I LEARNED FROM HIS TEACHINGS
AND I MOURN HIS DEATH
RUSTY HAD MANY TITLES:
SON, GRANDSON,"BROTHER",
HUSBAND, FATHER, UNCLE, NEPHEW,
FRIEND, PARTNER, CO-WORKER...
HE LOVED TO WORK WITH HIS HANDS.
HIS WORK WAS DONE SKILLFULLY,
HE DIDN'T LIKE TO RUSH A JOB. IT WASN'T SAFE.
HE BELIEVED IN, AND DID QUALITY WORK.
WE WORKED ON SEVERAL PROJECTS TOGETHER,
WITH SEVERAL MORE THAT I WILL HAVE TO DO ALONE,
BUT IN HIS MEMORY, USING THE SKILLS HE TAUGHT ME
I HAVE A WOUND ON MY ARM,
AND WHEN PEOPLE ASK WHAT HAPPENED,
I TELL THEM THAT I WAS HELPING RUSTY TRIM A TREE.
HE TOLD ME
HE DIDN'T THINK IT WAS SAFE.
I LEARNED SOMETHING ELSE THAT DAY,
OLDER IS NOT ALWAYS WISER.
I HAVE ANOTHER WOUND.
THIS ONE IS NOT VISIBLE.
IT CAN BE PATCHED
AND CARED FOR
BUT IT WILL NEVER COMPLETELY HEAL.
IT IS
FROM THE PART OF MY SOUL
THAT WAS LOST WHEN RUSTY LEFT US.
FROM THIS DAY,
WE CARRY ON WITHOUT HIM AT OUR SIDE.
HE IS NOW
WITH US
IN OUR THOUGHTS, PRAYERS AND MEMORIES.
I FEEL THAT THE LORD HAS RECEIVED
A WONDERFUL WORKER, TO HELP BUILD
A PLACE FOR US IN THE KINGDOM OF GOD.
AND I WILL CHERISH THE DAY THAT I CAN JOIN MY BROTHER,
TO WORK SIDE BY SIDE WITH HIM,
IN HEAVEN.