In memoriam -- Dave Reaney (1930-2003)

Dave left us suddenly the week before Christmas. Dave was a stalwart at the farm, a regular brick. Dave was the sort of guy who you know would lend you his trailer, even though he complained as he did so. He'd then insist on driving it, too, even when you didn't want him to. Dave was the guy who made sure the trails got cleared in the spring. Dave was always good for a fatherly hug or a really bad joke. Dave always had ideas, too. Try putting pumpkin seeds in the manure spreader, and guess what, you get a pumpkin patch in the back pasture. Try to see if Ripple, his Tennessee Walker, could learn to pull a cart, and guess what, she did. Try to see if just a little gasoline will start up that barbecue any quicker. Guess, what, it did, and Dave wore the bandages for several weeks afterwards. Sometimes it seemed that Dave got his ideas from the same places Red Green did. He certainly would have fit in at Possum Lodge. But you could always count on him to be there for you.

It's hard to believe that Dave isn't going to be there any more. It's so easy to think that he's off with Sara golfing somewhere, or they're trekking in Wales, or touring New Zealand. He and Sara were traveling right up to the end of his life. But his family know this time he left without them, and they miss him. The obituary in the St. Cloud Times listed his accomplishments and his human family members: his wife, Sara Magee, his children and stepchildren, and all the grand kids. The obituary left out Hoover, his dog, and Ripple. Dave would have wanted them listed, I'm sure. They miss him too. As do we all.

December 24 2003