APRIL 23, 1927 - FEBRUARY 23, 2003

The year that my late husband, George, was born (1927) the President of the United States was Calvin Coolidge and the Vice President was Charles G. Dawes. So many years and so many changes have occurred since that year. We now have our first woman, first black, and the oldest candidate ever running for president.

The only thing that didn't change through the years was GEORGE!!! He was always the same. He was born into a loving family and died part of a loving family. His high school prophecy was: "Why hurry I have a lifetime to live" His lifetime ended on February 23, 2003, but the memories of his life that began on this date (April 23) will never end for me, his two sons, his surviving brothers and sisters, his two grandchildren, the rest of his family, and his friends. Everyone that knew George liked him. He was a true friend in every sense of the word. He lived up to his high school prophecy and was never in a hurry. George only saw the good in everyone and everything.

Other important events that occurred in the year 1927 are also interesting. Al Jolson appeared in the first "talkie" the "Jazz Singer", Whiskery won the Kentucky Derby, and Harry Belefonte, Neil Simon, Gina Lollobrigida, Doc Severinsen, and Harvey Korman were born. Charles Lindbergh flew the "Spirit of St. Louis" from New York to Paris, and the U.S. was the land of the automobile -- one per every six Americans.

I don't know what kind of weather they were having in Illinois on April 23rd when George was born, but I do know the sun was shining on the world for his having entered it. Today when I visited his grave it was cloudy, misting and gloomy -- the way I felt while I was there. We all miss George and wish he could be with us on his birthday, but everything changes with time and it was his time to leave us on February 23, 2003.