By Shannon Williams
Well, I took another trip around the sun this past week. It always is a time to take a look at my life and do my best to be grateful for all that I have in this life, past, present and hopefully to come in the future. One thing about the phase I am in at this time in my life, is that I seem to know a lot of people who die! Yes, we all die, but at times in our life we may or may not have very many people we know who die. When you reach your 50’s and 60’s you either have more people dying on you or you are just more aware as you know that time may come for you soon.

For years, I would tell people that I would listen to “Mike” the radio news guy in my hometown and if he did not do an obituary for me, I would get up and go on with my day. Now, I get emails from the funeral homes in that same town and then read the Galveston Daily to see if my name is listed, and again if not, off I go to start the day, LOL.

Obituaries have always intrigued me, they give you a look into a person, who they loved, who loved them. Sometimes you get to see what their passions were, what their life work was and sometimes you are left just to wonder about the person. Mo Rocca, a CBS newsperson, is a lover of obituaries’, and wrote a book called “Mobituaries”. I have it downloaded to listen to but have not gotten around to it yet (don’t ask how many books I have downloaded to read!). In my family, I have been the one who usually writes the obituaries; I was honored to write my father’s and will do the same for my mother’s. It is a meaningful role for me and I try to honor them the best I could. Years ago, large newspapers had professional obituary writers, I wonder how that was as a conversation starter at a cocktail party.

I got notice this week of the death of a friend who was just shy of his 92nd birthday, Rich (Richard) Anderson was one of a kind and a true Cowboy. He grew up on a ranch and spent his whole life working the land and raising cattle. He was a large man both in his physical appearance and in his personality. I knew him first as a friend of my in-laws and then as a fellow church member. I was lucky enough to be a guest of the “Muleshoe Ranch” more than a few times.

Once was while I was about two weeks away from delivering my son, I had a grand adventure on the Muleshoe Ranch. Rich was in the local Rotary Club and was giving a tour of one of his Texas Cattle Ranches to some visiting Rotarians from South America. I had been told by my doctor that my son was in the breech position. I really did not want to ride around in a cattle truck in my delicate state. Rich would have nothing of that, and I had to get up in the cab of his truck and off we went. Everyone else was in the bed of the truck! He told me I had no worries, as he had delivered many a calf and could handle this baby if it came. He tried to hit every bump as he was determined to get that baby in the correct position for the birth. It was a day I will never forget, and my son did move somewhat. When we had the christening for my son, Rich was beaming, telling everyone how he had helped!!

Rich’s obituary was written by his son, and tells of a life well lived and all he accomplished, and gives you a little look into his heart and soul and his love of the land. So enjoy the ride Rich, we will miss you.

[Feb-8-2021]