Roger

Our family had received some terrible news today.  Roger, our neighbor in Syracuse of over twenty-five years, had died.  We weren't shocked as we knew that he had had a massive stroke, but it was still very sad.  The six of us knew Roger very well.  He had been giving our children rides on "John", his riding mower, since we first moved to Sunset Drive.  He always had a smile on his face and a fun story to tell. 

 

I became a lot closer to Roger after I retired from teaching.  He stopped me regularly on my daily walks to offer me candy or ask how "sis" was doing.  Meg considered him a second grandpa, and I could see why.  "Sis" loved checking in with him when she was home from school and even went out with us for his 88th birthday two summers ago. Cameron got to know Roger a lot better those last few years as well as Roger was always stopping by to check on us when Doug was traveling, even coming over on John to help rake leaves.  

I tried to visit Roger and Darlene whenever I was in Syracuse.  On my last visit, I stayed longer than normal listening to them talk about the bus trip that they had taken to Nashville and the one that they had planned to Branson. They showed me pictures of Darlene on stage with one of her favorite country singers and told me to encourage my parents to travel with them again as they had all gone to Memphis on the same bus several years ago. I also got to see photos of the children that they had "adopted" as grandchildren since their own children had all passed away.  Roger and Darlene let me know that they were more than ready for us to move back as they missed our family very much. As I pulled out of the driveway something told me that it would be my last visit with Roger.  I am sad that my thought became a reality but am incredibly thankful for a wonderful visit that I will cherish for many years to come.