The Postcards for Mom Pranksters

The Other Brother

I guess I should tell you about Dad's other brother. I've already told you about the Mighty Threesome of Jerry, Larry, and Max. They have an older brother too. Uncle Dick is 5 years older than my father... making him 70 years old now. (WOW... can that be true? Yep, guess so!)

Uncle Dick married young and had three children. As his children hit the ages of early teens, his wife died of heart problems. I remember Aunt Jan as a frail woman that always smiled. Shortly afterwards, Uncle Dick married Aunt Gayle and they had two more children. It wasn't easy combining two families and I can only imagine how hard it would be if one of the families has a now "sainted" mother. (Which happens whenever a parent/child dies. It just does deserved or not. And I was too young to know if the title was deserved or not. But I loved her!)

If you ask my dad about the hardest times in his life... the day Aunt Jan died is top two. It runs neck and neck with when his brother died. The reason is not only losing Aunt Jan but Dad had the older kids at my house. Uncle Dick had called and told Dad the news and my father had the task of delivering the children home so that Uncle Dick could tell them about her passing.

On a much more positive note, and I'm sorry to say this Uncle Max because I love ya to pieces, but Uncle Dick was the "fun" uncle. He always has a joke to tell you, a smile to share, and his tales of the firehouse are wonderful. It never fails, if it is possible, when I'm visiting Grandma, Uncle Dick shows up.

Uncle Dick once brought Santa Clause to visit Grandma's house one Christmas. And Uncle Dick gave cool kids toys. He was often left out of the mighty threesome but there is no forgetting Dad's older brother when telling family tales.

- Dana