Tuesday, February 17, 2009

Uncle Russell


This past week marked the home going of one of the favorite people in my life. Although I haven’t spent much time with him for the past 30 years, he had a large influence on my life during my later teens. Since my parents were missionaries in Korea, I was sent to the States when I was 17. I was privileged to stay with my cousins, my father’s sister, Aunt Charlene, and Uncle Russell.

They lived on a farm about 8 miles outside of the town of Mora, MN. I loved farm life. I think my cousins thought I was a little loco, because I enjoyed milking the cows, haying, shoveling manure, and the other little chores that make up farm life. Not only did I spend two summers living with them, but I and my brothers spent many Christmases in the frigid wasteland that was their farm in late December.

Uncle Russell was a jokester. He loved everyone and everyone loved him. He was a member of Grasston Baptist Church and brought up his family to worship the Lord God. He was 82 years old, but had spent the past 5 years in a Home because of Parkinson Disease and Alzheimer’s. During the last year of his life, he could not care for himself and recognized almost no one but his wife. For a strong man who spent his life caring for others, it must have been particularly discouraging to have others do everything for him.

My uncle was special to me because, although he was smart, he never showed off; although strong, he was gentle; although outwardly gruff, he was one of the kindest men I have ever known. Uncle Russell was a humble man. Though he worked hard all his life, he never made a lot of money and always lived modestly. And although he never made a name for himself, he died rich in friends and relatives - people that would miss him, because he spent his life living for others. There is something to be said for this kind of life. One lives well who lives for others. Uncle Russell lived well.

He was loved; he will be missed, and we have the blessed hope that we will see him again.

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