Early yesterday morning, a man who has meat a lot to me over the last 39 years passed away. It's taken me all day and late into the night to get to a place where I felt I could write down my thoughts.
He was my father-in-law, Ralph N. Woodmansee. He was a good, hard working man. He was a joyful, jovial man, he was a good father who worked hard for his family...who drove big rigs until he was 80 here in the west and only stopped then because he had to stop.
He was my friend, and I loved him, and I love his wife,
, for all that they did for us, when marrying their beautiful daughter,
, and helping us whenever they could...from driving with Ralph as I went through college hauling beat samples with that old cab-over Peterbuilt tractor trailer, to the many good discussions we had.
Ralph was never afraid to give advise, and because of the life he lived, and his love of God and family, it was usually good advise for the both of us. He has been bed riddden the last year, and he has now returned home to our Father in Heaven and our savior Jesus Christ. Just like I know I will see my own parents there in the the Lord's good time...I know I will see Ralph there too, and I look forward to that day.
With my cancer, it is likely I will see him sooner rather than later...and that is okay. We all are born into this life and come here from our Father, and we all return to Him and our Savior. Knowing that, and loving God and His Son Jesus Christ, makes the knowledge that we all are going home to them and that if we turn to them and try and change our hearts to good, that we will all be together again...it makes the knowledge of what awaits us all something to hope for, and look forward to...though we will all miss one another...yet we will all be reunited in His love if we but turn to it.
I love you Ralph. And I will miss your happy, jovial outlook...but I will pass it on while I am here...just as you would do...and just as you did.