A Final Farewell -- Again -- Richard W. Meier

This week saw the end of a bit of my history.  In August 1952, I married Richard W. Meier in Scottsbluff, Nebraska. On June 7, 2016, he passed away in Longmont,Colorado.  That could be all that I really need to say, but I can't just forget the years of our life together.  It is not so much a romantic story as a historical story for my descendants.  Why? Because many of them do not ever remember the two of us being together, but if we weren't together, those folks would not be here so I owe them a bit of history.

Our experience together began in 1951. What a time that was to be a teenager. The world was changing into the technical word we live in now -- but it was just a small bleep on the horizon.  A friend (a boy) and I were in the group of kids that were riding in Richard's car on a Sunday afternoon. I was sitting directly behind the driver, and could see him in the rear view mirror, and vice versa. Since I was with another boy, I tried not to be too obvious in the way our eyes were meeting in the mirror.  Eventually, the day was over and everyone headed home, but that little seed of attraction had been planted.  It took root and soon we were dating on a regular basis, the other boy was then a distant memory.  We were two innocent (sort of) teenagers and we were soon to embark on a life that was to be absolutey perfect.  What a wonderful time of life that was.

A year later we were married and off on a honeymoon to the big metropolis, Denver. We were given $100 by my step dad, Laurel Evelyn, to spend for a week in Denver.  Two country bumpkin kids that were off on an adventure. The week in Denver ended and we actually had money left over from our week of adventure. [Remember?  I told you it was a different world in 1952.]

Our life was blessed by two daughters and many other experiences, but like all of life, nothing stays the same.  It eventually ended after twenty one years.  It was sometimes a painful parting, but we both moved on to other people and other experiences, and now at this stage of my life, I have to think very hard to recapture that part of my history.

But, I will never forget that wonderful age of optimisim and hope and grand plans for the future. Good, and sometimes not so good, experiences made us into a crazy quilt of life. Now however, as an old friend of someone that knew me when I was just a young kid, I have to say I am sorry he had to suffer in his last years.  I wish him God Speed to the next adventure and I am grateful to have known him and had his children.  Even though time changes us and memories dim, there are some things that can not be forgotten.  Farewell, Richard Meier, I wish you well wherever you are.  Patj