I wanted to put this here for my family. I am closest to my youngest brother Jon, who graduated from high school with my Bob, both of them being three years older than me. Jon was also close to Paul, as you can see from his poem below. I cannot read this still without crying. Paul passed from this life on August 24, 2002. We all miss him very much. Susan

Helen Keller said:
"Who we once loved we can never lose, for those whom we deeply love become part of us."

William Penn:
WE GIVE BACK TO YOU, O GOD THE ONE WHOM YOU GAVE TO US. YOU DID NOT LOSE THEM WHEN YOU GAVE THEM TO US, AND WE DO NOT LOSE THEM WHEN WE GIVE THEM BACK TO YOU. YOU HAVE TAUGHT US THAT LIFE IS ETERNAL AND LOVE CANNOT DIE. SO DEATH IS ONLY A HORIZON AND A HORIZON IS ONLY THE LIMIT OF OUR SIGHT.OPEN OUR EYES TO SEE MORE CLEARLY AND DRAW US CLOSER TO YOU, THAT WE MAY DRAW NEARER TO OUR LOVED ONE WHO IS WITH YOU.

I remember Paul,

as the boy who laughed it off when his little brother tore down his clubhouse

as the teenager who helped me build a tree house that wouldn't fall down on my head

as the young man who bought his first house at an age when most of us were still living at home

as the generous brother who gave the family a mini-bike for Christmas

as the business man who employed me and half my friends in the neighborhood

as the brother who gave me a place to stay after college, when I had about $200 dollars to my name

as a positive, optimistic man who was never bitter about his medical problems or financial reversals

and I being so broke we couldn't afford to fix the lock on the back door where we were living

as a light hearted guy who could poke fun at people without malice

as the handyman who helped me with numerous home repair jobs

as a regular guy who was more Bakersfield than Los Angeles

Paul epitomized the American traits of optimism, entrepeneurship and self-reliance.

Paul faced unjust challenges at the end of his life but, he grew closer to God in his time of need.

Darren had a concise and eloquent statement to help ease my pain a little, "Daddy you'll see him again in heaven."
© copyright Jon Hewitt 2002

PSALM 116 YOU HAVE DELIVERED MY SOUL FROM DEATH, MY EYES FROM TEARS, MY FEET FROM STUMBLING. I WALK BEFORE THE LORD IN THE LAND OF THE LIVING.