I've had the good fortune of knowing John for most of my life. He's present in so many of my treasured memories. I'll never forget the proud handshake he gave me when I got into college, and that same handshake at my wedding fifteen years later.
In fact, I'm fairly certain I introduced my now-wife to John and Rita before introducing her to my own parents. We took a trip out to the farm in Marshall early on in our courtship. My plan was reasonable: if she could just meet my friends' cool parents, and spend some time on their gorgeous mountain property, surely she would see what a cool guy *I* must be, by association. After a few drinks I realized my mistake. I'd now introduced her to a standard of wit and charm -- namely, John -- that I could never hope to live up to. Well, it still worked out for me in the end.
For much of the time that I knew him, John took it upon himself to be something of a mentor. You see, John was one of the world's foremost experts on the stupidest human demographic: young men in their teens and early 20s. He had a *razor* sharp understanding of the ways that young men will be stupid. And so we got treated to many unforgettable speeches over the years -- alternately stern, loving, and hilarious -- that we still quote constantly...
"College, it was the best of times, it was the poorest of times."
"Have your fun now, but remember that one day you'll be pissing in a cup for the Man."
"You boys and your reefer!"
I don't know that John ever got seriously concerned about what we were doing or where we were headed, though I suppose he knew that even good kids can be one or two bad decisions away from something irreversible. Really I think it's just that he wanted to see us succeed SO badly. And god! did his kids succeed. An archaeologist, a lawyer, and a dentist. How classic-sounding is that? These are like, the first three answers you might get if you polled a class of elementary schoolers on what they hope to be when they grow up. Alice, Jack, and Curt: your dad was so unbelievably proud of you all.
The first time I spoke with John after his diagnosis was at Jack's wedding in 2017. It must've seemed like an elephant in the room, and he brought it up right away. His feelings were thoughtful and nuanced in a way that's still hard for me to process. He was scared, of course, but he was also so damned positive about it. He said he had an "expiration date," that everyone has one, they just don't know what it is, whereas now he more or less knew his. He talked about what that meant for him and the way he approached the remainder of his life. It's a conversation I'll always remember, and doubtless the most important of all his lessons.
I tell people that John's a hero of mine, and that's no exaggeration. He's a hero for his work ethic, for his family and the life he built for them, and for the way he faced dying.
Rest easy, John, and thank you for everything.