Passing of a friend

Yesterday my wife and I drove to Sanford, NC to attend a memorial service for an old Army buddy of mine, who died quite suddenly last Friday from a massive heart attack. He and I first met while attending graduate school at Iowa State in 1972, Since then, our paths crossed many times in the Army, and his family and ours stayed very close. When he retired from a second (civilian) career (he first retired as an engineer LTC) we were very happy to have them decide to move just two hours away from us, them living in his dream location…a golf course/fishing community. By far, he was the most gregarious person I knew. Go into any public place and within minutes he had struck immediate friendships with those nearby. As a result, well over 300 people attended his memorial service yesterday…most coming from within the local area where they lived. Considering that he and his wife had lived there just three years, speaks for itself. Afterwards at a reception, I stood and spoke briefly about many of the fun (and funny) things he and I had done together over the years. As we were driving back home I thought that our relationship might not have been as great had we not served together in the Army, given that bonds of service, no matter where or when, created by those in uniform are hard (or impossible) to sever. He will be missed, and today I find it hard to accept that "Jim" isn't here any more. But, whenever I go fishing, or play golf, or drink a beer or a shot of Irish whiskey, he will be in my thoughts.