Ray and Brenda Wessling miss you dearly. Ray has a story to tell that I would like to Many years ago in a land, far far away, there was a young high school girl that had a "crush" on a boy she knew in Campbell County High School. The boy didn't date hardly at all, partially because he had two part time jobs in addition to high school work. We'll call the girl Judy. We'll call the boy Ray. Judy made it clear she wanted to date Ray. Ray decided to take Judy to a high school dance. At the time, he drove an old 1953 Chevy, which was his first car. There was something wrong with the car ..... When the engine was at running temperature, for some reason, the car didn't want to start. It would sound like the battery was almost dead. It was a bad starter, although Ray wouldn't find that out until much later. When Ray tried to start the car, the motor would barely turn over .... & then would stop turning over completely. If you could allow the car to "cool down" for about an hour... it would start immediately ... no problem!! As an alternative, because it was a standard shift vehicle, if you could park on a hill, or somehow get the vehicle barely rolling, you could put it in gear, let out the clutch & drive away with no apparent problems. Well .... Judy lived on a road that has a small slope to it .... however ... her driveway sloped a little downhill away from the road. Ray went to pick up Judy for their date. Being a gentleman, he didn't blow the horn, but went to the door to meet the parents before leaving with their daughter. This "confrontation" always seemed to be extremely unsettling for Ray, & was possibly another reason Ray didn't date often. The parental meeting went well, & Ray went out the door with Judy. He opened the door as a proper gentleman should do. Closed the door as Judy was in the car waiting. Ray went to the drivers seat ... placed the keys in the ignition ... & heard that terrible sound .... or more appropriately ... a lack of it. The car grunted a couple times, & then sat silent!! Ray explained to Judy that the car would get them home without incident after sitting in the parking lot at school during the dance .... That would give the car enough time that it would start up right away. The only problem was getting it started right now. He went on to tell her that all he had to do was push the 3500 pound car up the slight grade of her driveway onto the road in front of her house. He could then "aim" the car down the hill, jump in the car, put it in gear, let out the clutch, & start the car .... EASY .... At least it was easy once he got it onto the street. Sooo ... Ray got out of the car, & with the door open, he began trying to move the 3500 pounds of steel up the driveway to the street. To his ultimate embarrassment, & humiliation, the next thing he knew, Judy's Dad was standing behind him in the driveway: "What's wrong with your car?" Ray explained, & to his amazement ... Judy's Dad helped Ray push the car out of the driveway onto the street!! Ray jumped into the car, & drove off with his daughter! Bahahaha. Over the years, Judy & Ray would laugh about that many times. On a more personal basis, I have often wondered ... What would I ... as a father ... have done in that situation?? What would it take to possess me to help a "strange" young boy I didn't know, drive off with my daughter in a car that certainly looked & seemed unroadworthy.....& actually help him push the apparently junk vehicle out of my driveway ... with my daughter inside!!! Well, Judy did get home safely that evening, but it seemed to Ray that there was no "spark" between them ... & in those days ... the "spark" was ALL IMPORTANT to him. Yes, he was a typical shallow teenage boy. Well, Judy was disappointed, but she had a "best friend" named Brenda. She told Brenda .... This guy Ray is a really nice guy ... I really like him ... BUT .... he doesn't like me. You should go out with him. Judy told Ray she had a friend she wanted him to meet. She introduced Ray to Brenda, & made sure they went out on a date ... & in Ray's tremendously expansive mind ... He felt that sometimes illusive "spark". Ray & Brenda went on to marry about one month out of high school & have two children. Unfortunately, they also divorced as so many young couples do. Brenda moved to a land that was oh so far far away .... Almost 40 years later as Ray, Brenda, & Judy were having their 45th year class reunion, Brenda decided to attend for the first time. Both Ray & Brenda were "unattached" at that time, & the old spark seemed to flare up once again. Ray & Brenda remarried. They went & visited their friend Judy that had married Larry many years earlier. They had raised a family & had been together many years. Judy wasn't able to attend that reunion in 2013, because of health reasons. She has been battling health problems ever since. Ray & Brenda have seen their old friend a few times during these past couple of years, but yesterday Judy's battles on this earth came to an end. One thing that makes these things easier is knowing that she is now resting in the arms of her Savior. At their reunion in 2013, both Brenda & Ray were SHOCKED at how many of our classmates pictures were on a board labeled deceased. In the two years or so since then, we have seen others besides Judy get added to that list. It reminds us of many things ... Just a couple of them are these: .... We are getting older every day ... & life is very fleeting. ... As we have read in a very prominent book ... Life on this Earth appears but for a moment & then it is gone ... It is like a vapor. We must make the most of the time we have here. Love greatly ... Keep short accounts ... Forgive quickly ... Watch out for "roots". Bitter roots can destroy a life .... Dig things in your life out by the root, if they don't need to be there ... Don't just cut them down & leave the root, because just like some terrible weeds I have in my yard ... If I just cut them ... or break them off at the surface, & don't get that root out .... that plant will come back stronger, & fatter, & healthier than ever. ... It will become harder & harder to kill ... And that thing that was once a little weed that was growing in your garden will one day become a tree that you can sit under the shade of ... & feel very comfortable ... because it has been there so long, & you know it so well ... & you may not even realize it comes from such a bitter root ... that it is poison ... & one day it will finish it's work & kill you. Feeling a little melancholy this morning. I do want to clarify a couple things: Of course this is a personal story without the names even being changed to protect the innocent, or guilty parties. My heart goes out to Larry, Judy's family & friends this morning. I rejoice with them that Judy is no longer in pain, but I mourn with them that they will no longer see her, or talk to her this side of Heaven. And one final thought ... I want to be clear that my comments about bitter roots, etc., have ABSOLUTELY NOTHING to do with Judy. Those thoughts are just my feelings, beliefs, & observations about how we as humans need to live our lives, & I realize that certainly includes me. Rejoice Judy !! See you soon old friend ... Life on this earth truly is fleeting ... Enjoy the party & the dance until we get there ... See you soon.

I miss you and I love you, Mom! I hope you have reunited with great grandma, grandma and all those that you love in heaven :)