Pop was an Amazing Man, A Rare Breed. He always put others before himself and never had a bad word to say about anyone. He loved his family. He married my mom when I was about eight (8) years old with two (2) little brothers. He always said that we were his boys and took the pride in raising us to be good men from day one. He never let us down. A hardworking and dedicated man who worked three (3) jobs to take care of us and yet he showed up at every basketball, football, baseball game or any sporting event we participated in. He encouraged us to get an education and taught us to treat people with respect. He would say “a man should let his clothes speak for him without having to say a word”. So he took special consideration in teaching us how to dress. He made the point that color combination was very important and that too many colors were overkill, stick to two or three colors and you will be sharp as a tack. My Pop was a very cool man who did not let his seventh grade education hold him back. He later started his own business, converting the work he did on those three jobs as a business and we, his family, were his crew. He taught us the importance of working and having a good work ethic.
Pop was the example of how we should love each other and others. Pop took on a wife with three
(3) boys, a ready-made family, and he never missed a beat when it came to his promise and responsibility. He promised to raise us as his very own and he did just that. I would tell my mom all the time, “Thank you for bringing this man into our lives, with all the knuckle heads out there, you did a great job and picked well!" In all the travels in my life, I have been around some great men and I give them that, but my Pop is the GREATEST MAN I HAVE EVER KNOWN!!!
I Love You, Pop. Miss You Tremendously!! Thank you for showing me how to be the man that I stood in the mirror with. PEACE AND LOVE, YOUR SON, JAMES!!!