A Fabulous Legacy

As David indicated below, my Uncle Jack died last week at the age of 85. He practiced law until shortly before his death. Two weeks before his death he wrote his own eulogy, and his daughter, Arlene, read it at the funeral. It is pretty incredible, and I thought that you might be interested in reading it.
IF THERE IS ONE ABSOLUTE FACT, IT IS THAT EVERYONE WITHOUT EXCEPTION WILL DIE-SOME SOONER, SOME LATER. EIGHTY-FIVE YEARS OF LIFE IS PRETTY GOOD. THE BIG TRAGEDY IS NOT FOR THE ONE WHO DIED, BUT FOR THE ONES LEFT BEHIND. THE DEATH OF A LOVED ONE CREATES A MAJOR TEAR IN THE FABRIC OF LIFE BUILT AROUND THE DECEASED. THIS TEAR CANNOT EVER BE REPAIRED. THOSE LEFT BEHIND TO MOURN MUST BE STRONG ENOUGH TO ACCEPT THE INEVITABLE.
I WAS MOST FORTUNATE THROUGHOUT MY LIFE. I WAS GRANTED THE VERY BEST REWARDS ANYONE COULD EVER HAVE. I HAD THE MOST WONDERFUL CHILDREN, ARLENE, PAULA AND ARTHUR. HOW LUCKY CAN YOU GET-WELL, ONE CAN GET LUCKIER. THEY BROUGHT STEPHEN, PAUL AND CAROLYN INTO MY LIFE. AND THEN THE BEST REWARDS OF ALL, SIX BEAUTIFUL GRANDCHILDREN. THEY WERE TRULY GRAND CHILDREN: BETH, SARA, DANIEL, SCOTT, COURTNEY AND EVAN. AND THEN I HAD 2 SPECIAL WOMEN SHARE MY LIFE, BOTH OF WHOM WERE SUPERB HUMAN BEINGS, BERNICE AND SELMA.
SO I LEAVE YOU ALL WITH HEARTFELT GRATITUDE FOR HAVING MADE MY LIFE AS EXTRAORDINARY AS IT WAS, MUCH MORE THAN I WAS ENTITLED TO. I ALSO SAY GOODBYE TO ALL MY GREAT FRIENDS, NIECES, NEPHEWS AND OTHER FAMILY WHO MADE MY LIFE ENJOYABLE AND REWARDING. SPECIAL THANKS AND GRATITUDE ALSO TO MIKE MACCO, RICK STERN, LYNN SMIAROWSKI AND THEIR ENTIRE STAFF. I OWE THEM MUCH FOR MAKING MY PROFESSIONAL LIFE AS COMFORTABLE AND ENRICHING AS IT COULD BE. TO MARILYN SIBER, CARMINE ROSATO, GERTRUDE HEMPEL AND ALL THE FOLKS AT THE KNOLLS, YOU HAVE ALL MADE ME FEEL SO APPRECIATED FOR MY EFFORTS IN THAT COMMUNITY. THE KNOLLS IS TRULY A VERY SPECIAL PLACE.
AND SO IT’S OVER AND ONCE AGAIN, I LEAVE EVERYONE WITH ONE THOUGHT. LIVING UNTIL 85 IS A REWARD IN AND OF ITSELF. DON’T CRY FOR ME, BUT REJOICE IN THE FACT THAT I HAD A GREAT, HAPPY AND REWARDING LIFE.