Requiescat in pace

He gave the eulogy at my father's funeral in 1998, and whatever he said on that day, while not memorable in a word-for-word sense, eased the transition into a world without my Dad.  He went to high school with my mother.  He and his wife have been there for many of the major events in my family's life, from my wedding, to flying to Chicago numerous times while we were living there in the 1970s, to coming to visit us while we were in Germany in 1971, to my mother's 75th surprise birthday party, taking me at age 14 to National Airport to join my parents and brother in Chicago and that's just the short list.

I have saved for Thea the email I got from him after we sent out her adoption referral photo because it gave me a connection to memories of my father, "Wouldn't Willi love to pinch those chubby cheeks?"  In one sentence it was the perfect laugh/cry moment, especially since most of his children endured many cheek-pinchings from my father.

And on Friday, he lost his own battle with cancer, after a long and courageous fight.  The world of those faces from my childhood grows smaller yet again. I can only imagine what his wife and family must be feeling.  I hope they are finding peace, I hope in whatever my naive imaginings of the afterlife, Ray has tracked down my father and they're catching up and enjoying each others' company again, that's what I'm holding onto for now.

Rest in peace, Ray Rooney, you will be missed by all who were fortunate to have known you.