In Memory of Uncle Eddie

In Memory of Uncle Eddie

Uncle Eddie (Edward Spivey) is not my biological uncle.  He is my stepmother's brother and he was a major part of  my life for over 25 years and was in my life a lot since then.

I remember Uncle Eddie mostly as a cabinet-worker/carpenter, along with my father.  He helped my father build houses on a farm and on the waterfront.  My father helped him build his house on Pasadena's B and A boulevard.

We played canasta on the farm and it was at Uncle Eddie's Anne Arundel county home that I began something that gave me one of the greatest joys in my life.

For it was at Uncle Eddie's house that I read my first book.

But never mind that; this is not about me.

Everyone wants to say something wonderful and pleasing about those who just died.  We sit and consider their major pluses and hope to avoid their minuses.  And so I did the same.

While I'd love to conjugate glorious verbs and smile at wonderful memories about Uncle Eddie....and I do.....finally I came up with Uncle Eddie's greatest gift to the world.

He was, as I saw it, a great father who loved his children.  He adored his wife, and she is a great person as well, I mourn her loss.  He worked hard every day and supported his family.

The best personality trait Uncle Eddie brought to the world....THE MAN WAS ALWAYS HAPPY!!

Indeed I don't ever remember a time when Uncle Eddie didn't sport a big smile accompanied by a loud and happy greeting.  Of course I was not around Uncle Eddie all the time but I'd argue I was around him enough to know that he was, truly, a happy man, and he shared that happiness with the world.

He didn't invent anything major.  He didn't win championship chess tournaments.  He wasn't terribly serious with a wish to change the world.

Uncle Eddie was grateful for the things that he had, the simple things, the things we all should be happy with should we appreciate the same things.

His family loved him and he loved them.

He lived 83 happy years and while I'm sure he had bad times, as we all do, Uncle Eddie loved to get up in the morning, smile at the world and shout loud, boisterous greetings to all who crossed his path.

There won't be six hour funerals for Uncle Eddie.  Indeed in the era of the pandemic, Uncle Eddie can't even have a funeral with his whole family that he deserves.

But he's in the hearts of the Spiveys, the McLaughlins, and the Aylwards across the country.

Ordinary people carrying this country on their backs.

And all of us better off for having Uncle Eddie in our lives.