Big Brother
Kristan was 6 years older and definately the BIG BROTHER! He teased me, tickeled me, played pranks on me, harrassed me, encouraged me, protected me and loved me. He was always the BOSS!
My father and mother were very supportive of any academic hobbies or interests in which Kristan and I were involved. The family had to purchase a suburban to be able to transport all his percussion instruments - jazz band drum set, tympani and many other percussion instruments. My father would help him load up the instruments whenever there was a performance and go with him, actually we usually all went and when I was too small I ended up taking naps during a gig or concert. One time in the car while rushing to his performance exasperated my dad said to Kristan "Why the "H" didn't you choose to play the piccolo!!!"
Kristan arranged an audtion for me to take piano from Professor Gossard at Carnegie Mellon University when I was in the 8th grade, I also took Oboe lessons from a professor there that played in the Pittburgh Symphony Orchestra. I took lessons until I was in the 12th grade. It was much fun!
Kristan loved camping with the boyscouts and he talked my parents into camping. We started out with a floorless tent and slowly graduated through the years to a travel trailer - which my parents took to Jackson Wy to stay and visit with Kristan when he played in the Grand Teton Music Festival.
Kristan had great wisdom and ideas and loved to come to the church that my husband Glen McLure and I pastored. He was very supportive and helped Jackie Pullinger in Hong Kong with her missionary work.
To sum it up Kristan was a great influence in my upbringing. He did get in trouble with mother when he harrassed me but don't most big brothers?
I am happy that he is with mother and father now without pain and a perfect body, Finally.