He was the youngest of 10, deeply devoted to his mother, as his father died when he was only 7. Older brothers taught him to be tough and how to stick up for himself using his fists. Older sisters loved him enough to mellow his heart. He had a loud, gruff exterior and a stance that caused you to proceed with caution. However once you got to know him (which took only a second) you found someone so filled with joy and laughter and most importantly, unconditional love, you immediately felt comfortable around him. He was the center of attention at every gathering, the pied piper to all the children around him, a "Mr. Fix it" for all (and not just for broken things, but for broken hearts too). Unfortunately due to the times in which he lived, he did have somewhat of a double standard when it came to certain things that he verbalized, but deep down inside I believe he knew what was right as he would eventually display it. His jokes made you laugh uncontrollably, his stories had you listening intently, when he spoke to you it was as though you were the only person in the room and were made to feel important. Today is the one year anniversary that his body ceased to be among us. The yearly festivities, gatherings and celebrations were not the same. Daily life is not the same. Nothing is the same without him. But to dwell on that would be to dishonor his life, his Spirit and most importantly his love for us. Yes, the littlest things can still make us cry, but we can smile even more knowing he is now with the Lord and the people he loved. I know they are having a great time.