New Date. Old Memories.

By Rick Blumenberg  @rickblumenberg

Today's date brings warm memories

This blog's final edit and post date is July 12, 2017. This would be my father’s 103^rd birthday if he were still alive. He died on December 3, 2007 at the age of 93^1/2.

I still remember the wisdom of Roy Blumenberg.

Dad was a wise man who blessed me with many life lessons. I think especially of the concept of “Conflict of Interest”. He helped me to understand this and it is just one of many lessons he shared that guided me throughout my life. There were numerous times when I was in decision-making meetings that I was able to help the attendees understand how the concept applied in the decision we needed to make. Dad continued to teach long after he had gone on to heaven.

Dad was also a stickler on treating people fairly—especially if you had an advantage that would make it easy to take unfair advantage. His moral values continue yet today in the lives of his children and generational descendants. 

He also told us often that "You can't out-give God." He had many life experiences that were examples of God's generosity and care. Those stories would make another good blog post.

On this his birth date I am reminded of how greatly we were blessed by being his children.

I remember Larry Blumenberg as an “Old Soul”.

 It is also a day after the birthday of my double-cousin Larry Blumenberg. (For those of you not familiar with the “double-cousin” concept—our mothers were sisters and our fathers were brothers, so we were cousins from two different families). Because of that relationship our families were very close.

Tragically, Larry drowned in their farm pond in the summer of 1959. He died June 8, 1959 shortly after High School graduation. Uncle Elmer (his Dad) was watching from the bank of the pond and tried desperately to save him, but was unable to do so. He would have been eighteen the following July 11, 1959. That was 58 years ago yesterday.

Larry also taught me important life lessons. Once when he, my brother Barry and I, were together—Barry and I had a disagreement about something. We did not come to blows, but were obviously very angry with each other. (I have no idea about what).

Larry told us, “If I had a brother I sure wouldn’t fight with him!”

Larry was what we today call an “Old Soul”—with wisdom far beyond his years. He always seemed to be more mature than the average teenager and had a gentle way about him (much like his Father, my Uncle Elmer) that endeared him to everyone who knew him. An example of this was a friend of ours who felt especially close to Larry. He was working in the field driving a tractor when his Mom came out to tell him she had just heard the news of Larry’s death. She also told him Larry’s funeral was going on right at that time. He told me later that as he drove the tractor he wept for the loss of a really good friend and also because he couldn’t go to his funeral.

It’s interesting how modern day events bring us memories from the past. I thank God for such memories and how they enrich our lives.

I’m Rick Blumenberg and that’s “My View from Tanner Creek.”