Good-bye Glenn

If you've been reading this blog for a while, you might remember a post about a cute old man who made my day in Whole Foods by singing to me a year ago:

Click here to read


Today I sadly read this comment on my blog:

Hello Gayle , Awhile ago you posted about a singing old man -  my dad aka Glenn Miller - who sang Day by Day I Keep Falling inLove With You. You met us in Whole Foods grocery and he sang for you. He made your day. Sadly to say he entered into God''s kingdom last Friday the 20th of Sept. Thank so much for his moment of fame. We all enjoyed it. His obituary will be in the Journal Inquirer  Mon or Tue. this week. Thanks again. It was a lovely memory. Charlotte his daughter.


I just read his obituary.  

Glenn was a very interesting man.
  
- He was born in Vermont (something we both have in common).
- He lived for 92 years. 
- He was a direct descendant of William White who was a passenger 
  on the Mayflower! 
- He was married to his wife Celia for 66 years, who survives him.  
- He was an airplane mechanic and instructor in the Army during WWII.  
- He was also a private pilot and enjoyed flying his Cessna.  
- He enjoyed fishing and was an avid Boston Red Sox fan.
- He managed Little League teams in Windsor Locks.  
- He retired after 36 years from Pratt & Whitney.
- He was an all-around handyman and was very giving of his time.
- He was musically talented and loved to play the harmonica.
- He was an active member of his church.
- He has a son and a daughter, 4 grandchildren and 5 great grandchildren.
- He was a well-versed storyteller and often enchanted friends with epic tales
  of his travels in Vermont and surrounding territories.

I only met Glenn once for a few minutes, but I was impressed by his warm personality and gentle spirit.  And I could tell by the way his daughter treated him that he wasn't a burden to her.  He was well loved.

One of the most important things to teach children is to respect the elderly.  It's so easy for them to only see what they can't do anymore.  We need to teach them just how valuable they are - like a Renoir painting that becomes more priceless with each passing year.

The complete life, the perfect pattern, includes old age as well as youth and maturity. The beauty of the morning and the radiance of noon are good, but it would be a very silly person who drew the curtains and turned on the light in order to shut out the tranquillity of the evening. Old age has its pleasures, which, though different, are not less than the pleasures of youth.

W. SOMERSET MAUGHAM, The Summing Up