Terry Byrne is my neighbor Tom’s father.  Terry had a stroke 11 years ago, before I met Tom and Michelle and has been living in a home since I’ve know them.  Michelle and I used to go running together and she would tell me about her father-in-law (because she being quite fit could actually talk while running!) – about his love for his wife and family, but most of all his generosity.  She would tell me about how he would get up really early on Saturdays and just start cooking.  He’d make a big pot of soup and get ready for all the visitors.  He’d have breakfast waiting for his wife Veda Jo when she came down in the late morning.  He and Veda Jo always set an extra place setting at the table for whoever might stop by which happened often.

Terry passed away exactly 1 year from Veda Jo’s passing.  On the day.  I find that beautiful. We attended the Wake last night to hear more stories of Terry’s extreme generosity.  I was struck as I thought of Terry, how much I think about the stories of Terry and Veda Jo and how much they’ve influenced my life without even really knowing them.  I can only hope that I would have an ounce of that legacy.

My youngest decorated the order of service last night.  I love that she, though not knowing him, wished she had.  Same as me.

His grandson quoted a piece of a poem by Longfellow called “Psalm of Life” that I thought quite fitting.

Lives of great men all remind us
We can make our lives sublime,
And, departing, leave behind us
Footprints on the sand of time;