My Uncle Dink

Uncle Dink and Aunt Wanda

My dad called me last night...I knew something was the matter, I could mostly hear it in his voice. He told me that my Uncle Dink had passed away. Dad's not going out for the service, it's in West Virginia, very expensive to fly and my aunt said he should save his time and money for a happy time, my Aunt Wanda is so like that. They are just going to have a quick 15 minute service and play some bluegrass music. Just like he wanted. And I think that is how it should be, how he wanted.

Although we had seen Uncle Dink at the family reunion last summer, it seemed like forever since we had seen him last. One of my memories about Uncle Dink was when I was really little and living in West Virginia, we lived in a trailer just down the road by the cemetery (where Uncle Jim's shanty is now). I remember he and Aunt Wanda had a couple of dobermans. And we weren't allowed to be by them unless a parent was with us, and I don't ever remembering petting them. Quite frankly, they were big..and maybe not even nice, I don't remember that part. Maybe our family was the kind of family that kept the kids away from big dogs so the dogs wouldn't knock us on our asses and the whole family show up in the local paper, now that would have been something. I also remember the dogs had little cups on their ears, probably dixie cups. But I don't remember how they stayed there.

I googled his name today and guess what...someone he went to school with sent a class picture to a local website(Richwooders). Who would have known in 1952 what you could do now? Anyway, of course I didn't know him then. But look how cute he is (I circled him for your reference). I was going to enlarge the picture, but quite frankly...it doesn't look any better than this.

Happy travels Uncle Dink, we love you!