Sad News

This morning I got some sad news. My dad's dear friend, Ralph Brown, was killed yesterday. He was helping a friend, and there was an accident. It seems, at least, that he didn't suffer, which is always something for which to be grateful.
Ralph was a good man. He worked very hard, was generous in helping others (he even bailed Landon and I out one time when we accidentally ran out of gas on our way to my parents' house), and was incredibly funny. He was a good friend to my father, which is why I'll always remember him fondly.
My favorite Ralph story. . . Ralph was a mechanic extraordinaire, and certainly looked the part. He had rough hands, always seemed to have some grease on his hands and clothes (or maybe that's just because when ever I saw him, he was helping my dad fix something), etc. Ralph was also missing a few teeth, which he pulled out himself as he was averse to paying the dentist to do so. One day, Ralph was helping my dad disassemble a large metal building my dad had purchased to house his many tractors. They had hired a couple of other men to help because it was a large task. One of these other men was not particularly smart, and he asked Ralph what he did for a living. Ralph told him he was a gynecologist. The not-so-bright worker believed him, so Ralph kept that story line going. I can't even imagine showing up to meet my new ob/gyn and finding Ralph there ready to perform the pelvic exam. It still makes me laugh.
I am grateful to have known Ralph before he passed and grateful for his friendship with my father. You will be missed, Ralph.