Uncle Roy & Aunt Eileen

My great uncle Roy was what you might call a "character". Actually, he reminded me very much of my grandpa, who was his younger brother. Adam and I grew up hearing stories of Roy and his victorious battle in the U.S. Supreme Court. We also got to visit with Uncle Roy and Aunt Eileen several times growing up, and see the kindness and quirkiness in person. Aunt Eileen and I connected through music, as she was a pianist and organist. When she could no longer play, her many music books joined my collection, and I think of her each time I open one of her books and play a song.
I was fortunate enough to have a last visit with Uncle Roy and Aunt Eileen in August of 2005. Aunt Eileen died in February of 2006, and Uncle Roy died on June 9, 2007.
The Washington Post ran an obituary last week that was a good snapshot of Uncle Roy's life. However, it failed to mention how Roy would take 15 minutes to take a single family picture at every reunion we had ("Just a minute now...move to the left...almost got it...). The obit also left out details of when he and my grandpa would take the family car on the gravel road over Snoqualmie Pass to Wenatchee in the 1940s. The car had a leaky radiator, so one of them would ride on the front bumper with a tin cup to scoop water out of the puddles and fill the radiator while the other one drove.

Uncle Roy and his daughter Linda, then and last year.

Although I was raised Lutheran and continue to be a member of the church, the principles of the U.S. Constitution that Roy fought for have always been admired by me, and I think most of my family. The government can't tell you how to worship or who to worship, and your religious beliefs have nothing to do with your ability to be an honest citizen. I hope we see more "Uncle Roys" in the future.
When my dad was visiting him a couple of years ago, Roy, at age 94, needed some help across the parking lot. He thanked my dad for the assistance, saying, "I don't get around as quickly as when I was just 90". He was an energetic spirit and I'll miss him.