And now it’s time to reflect, right? To remember the good times.

I have a fond memory of you, Richard. You were such a talented guy and you had come up with a clever way of making a wine bottle stopper: with golf balls! Now, given that I live on the golf course, I have a pretty good collection of golf balls. And so it was, that I gave you a big bag of golf balls for your project.

You wanted to return the balls you didn’t use, and you made me a special wine stopper, too. You decided to deliver them to me personally, driving your golf cart to my home. I remember spotting you from my kitchen window as you drove by the house, glancing to the left and the right, trying to remember which house was mine. The catch is, all these dang houses look alike and you had not brought the address with you. As you circled the end of the street, I ran out to try to stop you — but you couldn’t hear me! Richard! Richard! I called, but you drove back down the street, continuing to look to the left and the right, hoping, I’m sure, to see something that would jog your memory as to which house it was. I laughed and went back in the house. About ten minutes later, you pulled up at my house with my wonderful gift! I didn’t say anything. But I remember thinking, what a wonderful man to go to all this trouble just for me!

In my opinion, you were a pinnacle of men. You were a role model for what a good, strong, faithful man should look like. You will be missed by many. God bless you!