Good Bye old Friend

Yesterday in a little country graveyard, Willard and I bade our old friend and neighbor Dale farewell for the final time.

Dale lost his battle with cancer, the only battle I have ever known him to loose. To say he was a fighter would be an understatement as Dale was never happier than when he had a good feud going with someone.

Dale was money poor and land rich. Dale didn’t have much education but was one of the most cunning men I have ever known. Farming a hard scrabble farm, driving school bus, cutting timber, and maintaining our local township roads kept the bills paid and the fields, forest, and streams kept food on his table. Dale was oft times blamed for killing a lot of deer on his properties but as he would accurately point out, if that were so then why were there more deer there than on most surrounding lands? The source of many of these rumors were started by people jealous of the fact that he owned the land and absolutely would not allow them to set foot on it for any reason.

When one owns property in a rural area where wildlife abounds they can be certain that it will attract a class of person whose only desire is to destroy it. Dale was always on guard for these types. His motto was that when they pushed you, shove back. Shove back and shove hard!

Dale, you fought a good fight. Only cancer was able to beat you, and the pain it inflicted is now past. Rest in peace Dale……….We will still carry on the fight.