Wednesday, February 11, 2009
TO THE EKLUND FAMILY, IT IS SAD TO HEAR OF UNCLE PAUL'S PASSING. HE WAS MY FAVORITE UNCLE. HE AND I HAD THE SAME SENSE OF HUMOR. I REMEMBER RIDING IN MY DADS BUICK AND WE PASSED A SIGN IN CHICAGO FOR TOOSTIE ROLLS, WE WERE IN THE BACK SEAT. HE LOOKED AT ME AND THEN LOOKED AT THE SIGN AND SAID, "TWO PLEASE"! I LOVED THAT. I SAY THAT TODAY WHEN WE PASS A BEER BILLBOARD. I DO REMEMBER WHEN HE TOOK US TO THE FOOTBALL GAME IN THE COLD IN ZION. I WAS ABOUT 10, WE SAW THE GAME AND HE TOOK ME AND MY BROTHER TO MCDONALD'S FOR HOT CHOCOLATES AND FRIES. THE STRAW MELTED IN THE HOT CHOCOLATE. GOOD DAY. I THINK THE BEST MEMORIE OF UNCLE PAUL WAS WHEN HE AND ILA AND AUNT STINA CAME UP TO MUSKEGON, MI. JIM MY BROTHER AND I HAD JUST GOTTEN OFF THE BUS AT OUR STOP. THEN THIS BIG , GIANT, GOURGIOUS 1976 CADILLAC, TWO DOOR, YELLOW, SQUARE HEAD LIGHTS, PULLED UP NEXT TO US. WE THOUGHT IT WAS A KING, BUT IT WAS UNCLE PAUL AND GAVE US A RIDE TO OUR HOME IN MUSKEGON. I DO HAVE HIS LOVE OF SAUSAGE, MOTHER OF PEARL DO I. HE LIKED IT AS WELL. I REMEMBER GOING TO MILWAUKEE TO SEE HIM AT ST. LUKE'S FOR HIS HEART DEAL. I WALKED IN SAT DOWN AND SAID," WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE"? HE SAID, "JUST IN THE SHOP AGAIN, THAT'S ALL". LOVED THAT. A FEW YEARS AGO, WE HAD THE CHANCE TO GO TO LUNCH WITH ILA AND PAUL, WE WENT TO APPLEBIES, WITH MY FOLKS AND MY NEW WIFE. WE HAD LUNCH AND ALL WERE DONE, BUT UNCLE PAUL. I LOOKED AT HIM, LIGHTLY AND THEN AGAIN. HE LOOKED ME SQUARE IN THE EYES AND SAID, "JORDIE, I GET AN HOUR FOR LUNCH". I CRACKED UP. UNCLE PAUL IS A GOOD MAN, A TOTAL CADILLAC. ONE OF THE FINEST MEN I KNOW. JUST KNEW HOW TO BE AND HOW TO DO THINGS. I'M GLAD I KNOW HIM. HE LEAD A GOOD LIFE AND LIKE I ALWAYS SAY, THE TIME BEFORE US DOES NOT BELONG TO US ANYMORE THAN THE TIME AFTER US DOES. I BELIEVE UNCLE PAUL HAD HIS TIME TO A TEE. COULD NOT HAVE BEEN DONE ANY BETTER. I HOPE THAT FOR US ALL. MY MOTHER, HIS SISTER AND I ARE TYRING TO GET DOWN THE FOR THE SERVICE. MA IS 83 NOW AND MY DAD IS IN A HOME. WE WILL SEE WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THAT. IT ALL HINGES ON MA. BUT YOU KNOW, IF A BIG OLE 1976, YELLOW CADILLAC, JUST MIGHT PULL UP WITH UNCLE PAUL IN IT, IT WOULD BE A DONE DEAL. I'M SURE HE WOULD LOOK AT ME AND SAY, "WHERE ARE WE GOING TO? I'D SAY, "NOT SURE UNCLE PAUL, BUT I DO BELIEVE WE SHALL HAVE TWO PLEASE"! NEPHEW JORDAN L. SUCHA AND MY WIFE LORI AND MY DAUGHTER MIRANDA LEIGH ROCENA SUCHA SHEBOYGAN FALLS, WI
