Saying Goodbye

My wonderful, young cousin, Gene Gregory, just died.  I live in Nevada and he lived in Florida so I didn’t get to see him before he was gone. But I talked with him on the phone about his cancer and how he felt about dying. He told me he wasn’t worried too much about it but he hated the fact that he wouldn’t be around to see how everything turns out.

Gene was a curmudgeon. He had no filter from his brain to his words so if you asked his opinion on anything you got it. His passions went from love to hate, depending on what you asked him. He did not suffer fools gladly.  If he thought it, he said it. And he was one of the funniest and dearest people I have ever known.  He was rough, but if he loved you he did so with a passion.  My mother was an example of someone he loved – partly because they’d drink a case of beer together whenever he dropped by.  Partly because they were a great deal alike in their lack of a filter. They’d be sitting at the round coffee table at the beach raving-on about politics, people and personal issues.  Gene would defend Mama when we would complain about her drinking. He’d say “She likes her beer. What’s wrong with that?” By that time, he had a point.

Gene’s great passion was deep sea fishing. Oh my gosh, he could find Sailfish in the sea. He could find all kind of fish and he entered tournaments and won prizes and his smile was as wide as the sky. Many a picture I have seen with Gene and his catch with that smile plastered on his face. Then he’d take them home and serve a banquet of the finest fish you ever tasted.

Gene was funny. He spent all of his time when we were very young children being the clown and making us all laugh till we couldn’t breathe.

He had one son and he loved Jesse with the greatest passion of his life. Jessie woould go fishing with his dad. I met Jesse just once, but I was impressed with his love for his father- genuine and deep. I think Jesse will be like Gene in his love of the sea.

I think Gene was still married to Linda when he died. And if he was she would have been right there by his side, loving him in spite of himself.  Linda is a very patient woman. Gene was lucky.

Gene’s mother, my Aunt Bunny, is still alive in her late 90’s, and I hear from her daughter Judy Grovesner she is not doing well and is in Hospice care.  She’s in her mid to late 90’s.  She’s probably waiting for Gene to get there (wherever) and get the place ready for her and then she’ll let go too.

These are all people I love very much. Isn’t it funny that the loves we grow up with stay with us forever even if we don’t see them as often when we’re older.  Judy, Gene, Aunt Bunny and Uncle Jack.  Part of me is definately due to their wonderful influence.

A light has gone out in my world and I will miss him.  I hope Gene likes where he is now so much that he won’t even worry how it all turned out!