September 14, 2015: Bill Holloway

     Within the past week, I have learned of two deaths affecting my family. My first wife Karen lost her husband and last night, my dad's brother, Bill passed away. I don't want to go into a lot of personal details, but I always liked seeing my Uncle Bill, and regret that I lost touch with him when my grandparents passed away in the nineties. I guess that was inevitable, because the only time I saw any of my uncles was when I went to Monroe Louisiana to visit my grandparents. If my uncles were in town, they would  swing by and say hello, and we would talk about what we were doing at that time in our lives. When Grandma and Grandpa Holloway grew older and could no longer care for themselves, they moved into a nursing home down in Baton Rouge, where my Uncle Carl lived. My Uncle Jim also lived down there, but the last time I visited my grandma in the home, I only got to visit with Uncle Carl. I believe that the last time I saw my Uncle Jim may have been at my grandfather's funeral. (I'm not sure, but that seems likely.)
     It is unfortunate that we grow up and lose touch with our relatives like that, but so many people I know have told me that the same happens in their family. It's not like you are going to run into these folks while doing something else; you actually have to plan to go and see them, and for whatever reason, you just never get around to it. I'm pretty far away from my Louisiana family now since I live in Louisville, Kentucky, but it would not be out of the question for me to get down to Baton Rouge where I believe two of my uncles live, or possibly go see my Aunt. I have cousins that live in Texas, and I know they are not on the route that I take to get to Houston, but I could make that side trip if I tried. It is good to keep in touch with those in the family, and Facebook has brought me together with so many of those individuals, but there's nothing like sitting down and talking face to face with someone over a cup of coffee.
     I read posts from one of my cousins every day, and found out that he lives in Houston where I visit my son twice a year. If he's willing, I think I'll try to get together with him next time I go down and see what he's been up to all these years. I gave up on the family genealogy several years ago because it was taking far too much time and effort and I just wasn't sure that it mattered all that much to me. After all, we should attend to living, as opposed to those who have passed on, shouldn't we?
     If I hear about a funeral for my uncle, I will probably try to go, because I just feel that we should pay our respects to those we are related to, but there is another reason I go to funerals as well. It is often the only time that we get to see other family members and possibly renew relationships that once meant something to us. What is it that they say now? "Don't put flowers on my grave; bring me flowers while I am alive." Truthfully, that means so much more to a person....