3 years ago on this exact date, I woke up, got ready for school and had gotten the heart breaking news that my uncle had passed away. I remember very little from that day, but all day memories I had shared with him had played through my head. I'll never forget when I was sleeping and woke up to find out Uncle Paul had taken my brothers on quite the journey to get chickens for my dad. I watched him laugh the hardest he ever has while telling my parents and I the adventure they had. I'll never forget the endless teasing I got from Uncle Paul. Such as how messy my thick curly hair was to him making fun of whatever clothes I was wearing. Although he made fun of me quite often, I know I had a special place in his heart. I was one of his god children, and let me tell you I was extremely spoiled by him. I remember him coming over for christmas, bringing presents for everyone. Most of the kids would just get candy, but I always got something extra. He bought me one of my favorite princess lights, my first laptop, and so much more. Despite the condition he was in for the long 8th & 1/2 months, he always was making a joke. I remember when I first saw him in the hospital, a nurse came in to check on him and he started telling her "Ma'am I want aaaaaalllllllllll the drugs! All of them!!". We took him to Linos for dinner and had a bit of a wait and I remember him whispering to me "When are we going to get our damn table?". I admire him so much, how bravely he fought his battle. Although he did not win it, he never gave up and always had a smile on his face. I'll never forget seeing him the night he died. I didn't realize it was the last time I'd see him, hug him, talk to him, but it was. I remember sitting with him in his living room with his beloved fireplace going, watching Duck Dynasty while he slept. My parents told me it was time to go since my brothers and I had school the next morning. I got up and said goodbye to my aunts while my brothers said good bye to my uncle. I walked over to his bedside and hugged him, instantly feeling him hug me back. Tears fell down my cheeks as he whispered "I love you" to me for the last time and then quickly fell back asleep. I could go on forever and ever with memories I have with my Uncle, but this post would be extremely long.

Although you aren't here with me physically Uncle Paul, I know you're always at my side. You never fail to send me signs such as the beautiful flowers growing outside to your painting falling randomly while I was simply walking down the stairs. I can feel your presence as you send me these signs and not a day goes by where I don't pray for you and hope you can hear the things I am telling you. Thank you for being my guardian angel, thank you for guiding me through my life and helping me become the person I am today. I am truly blessed to have my life touched by your artistic, witty, and loving hands. Rest in paradise Uncle Paul, I cannot wait to see you again. ❤️

Today I left my brother,

(Dad said he couldn’t tag along this time,

I must venture this alone.)

I’m headed on a journey,

God’s taking me on a long walk to a new home.

Beauty was my passion,

I created many sites –

From hair to cats, and even plants,

They all had to look just right!

It’s said ‘Beauty is in The Eye of the Beholder’ –

Like the rainbow in my dreams –

And now I can finally see it,

The land that I’ve dreamed of –

And dad is there to greet me,

I’ll tell him of your love.

So I closed my eyes one last time,

And I wished upon a star –

That God would keep you safe for me,

Because the journey I travel, it is far.

And my only regret my brother,

My very special friend –

Is that today, I must leave you,

But We Will Meet Again!

We explored, we dreamed-

We captured, we schemed,

We hatched, and we reproduced –

If there was something we couldn’t have,

We even gave it a boost!

We gave it our all, my pal and I –

Boy, what a ride we had!

But today I must journey,

To live in Heaven with Our Dad.

We shared many a laugh,                                                                                                                     

Through-out all our years –

And during these days,

We’ve also shared tears.

I don’t want to leave you,

But, I must now you see-

Just remember ‘Our Bond’ is forever

My buddy, my friend, my brother Lee –

For you will always be a part of me.                       

 (A message for you, written by the hands of your sister Anne, from Paul.
This was lost for awhile, but now it’s found its way home.)       April, 2014

I have faith that Paul will look down on all of this and be happy, knowing how much we all cared for him and miss him.  And maybe even more than that, we will draw attention to Paul, who so often drew attention to us in many ways!  Just a few examples, of the gazillion, that I personally will never forget: 

The time he colored my hair with “temporary” color, deep purple and hot pink.  It was not temporary, would not wash out – even with hydrogen peroxide, alcohol, anything I could pull from my medicine cabinet.  So, on a Monday morning I had to report to work with this colorful head of hair.  My boss was a physician from India.  It was interesting to say the least.  I told him that I didn’t know what happened; it was just all of a sudden purple and pink when I woke up that morning.  Paul fixed it the next day, but I am sure he thought this was hilarious!

He loved to call out something silly, for example, “I-C-E, I LOVE ICE, and I am going to take it all”.  When we were in California and I would trek to the ice machine to get ice for sodas.  He would watch out the window or door and if there was anybody in earshot of hearing he would yell this out and quickly hide, so all the people would see is me, with the ice bucket, and of course I would turn 50 shades of red and he would be upstairs laughing!   Or, at Brenda's funeral lunch, when he called out, in that voice we all know, "its my birthday and I want all the cake" as we were heading to the cake table, and then say - loudly - "Linda" so everybody would look at me.

Paul was a true friend.  There are so many things, covering so many years, it’s impossible to write about them all.  From vacationing in CA, traveling to CA when he moved there in the 80’s to be “discovered”, being roommates (Paul, Brenda, and I) when he returned, bringing home birds, cats, and we almost had a dog but Brenda caught us as we were going out to get it. Doing his taxes, helping him when the cats were having kittens on the sun porch (he loved his animals, always!), drinking coffee in really big plastic cups as we drove one place or another, going to Rockton so Grandma Bunn could make us Swedish pancakes – and Paul could do her hair in the bathroom.  Planting rose bushes on duck island, walks on the bike path, and going to Iowa so he could pick my first schipperke dog, Iko-Iko (Paul, be on the lookout in heaven, Iko will be looking for you and want to sleep on your BED-like he did when he was a baby… you remember…!).

Linda  

I knew this was the last
birthday, we'd ever celebrate-
So I wished upon that rainbow,
that God would change
your fate.
He answered back-
in colors so bright I couldn't see-
" Don't fret my child, I hear you-
For, ' Over The Rainbow' Who waits
for Paul, is.......ME. 

The month of August holds many important dates for the White family clan. We celebrate children and sibling birthdays and mourn the passing of our Father.

Events that happen during times of great sadness gain special significance to us as we reflect back. August 8th 2001, my Dad passed away.  As part of the funeral service my Mom had the VFW perform military funeral honors. While they were firing off the 21 gun salute a lone honking goose flew over our heads. The significance of the event for all the family goes back to the time that Dad took in a baby goose named Lucy that I believe my sister Chris had given to him. My dad raised the goose. Lucy went wherever Dad was; we have video of Dad running in the yard flapping his arms with Lucy chasing him flapping her wings. He was trying to teach her how to fly. We all laughed and smiled watching the video. I remember having supper over at Mom and Dad’s and there would be this knocking sound on the window it would be Lucy looking in. It was like her saying to my Dad it was time for him to come out and play. Well one day Lucy stopped knocking on the window. Several days later one us kids had found her she had been killed by a fox or a dog. Nobody had the heart to tell Dad Lucy was dead. That lone honking goose flying over us at Dad’s funeral was like Dad saying to us don’t be sad all is well me and Lucy are checking out our new backyard and pond to play in.

August 15th is a special day for Jill and me. It happens to not only be the birth day on my brother Paul but also our wedding day which this year will be 34 years ago at the Navy base Chapel in Nea Makri, Greece. Jill has always told me that day was significant because we got married on my brother’s birthday a sign from God that the two of us were meant for each other.  Out of the 365 days we could have picked to be married Paul’s Birthday was the one we choose, not intentionally mind you, it just happened to be the day that worked for us I had no thought that it was my brother’s birthday back then. Before his death one of the last things Paul said to Jill was “ Well you been with him this long, you might as well keep him”  Such wise words my brother I couldn’t agree with you more.

This August 15th Jill and I will be celebrating our 34th anniversary in Chicago. Paul loved going shopping in Chicago. This will be Paul’s first birthday in Heaven. Paul, I can’t even imagine all the fun things you can do in heaven but if you want you can tag along with Jill and me as we visit the museums, shops and restaurants.

Happy Birthday Paul

Jill and I love you.

It's August,
the last of our summer months, and for me a time full of warm rememberings of my brother, Paul. August 15 especially, because it is his birthday :0>

This year would have marked his 53rd year of living and I would have sent a card, texted him, and then called to say," Happy Birthday! I love you my Irish Twinsie!" ....sadly this will not be. So I will celebrate Paul this year through the sharing of warm rememberings of times spent together with my beloved Irish Twinsie, in our youth.

August days, hot, dry, and yellowing grass days. Pond, creek, and river shrinking days. August, last of the summer days to ride our horses......Dubey, Domino, Sox Sue, Dictation, Pal and Buddy...... down the grassy lanes of the dike dividing grandpa's pond from ol' Coon Creek. Lanes leading to the open fields of Stanton's farmland surrounding Tall Oaks Estates and opening up to the quiet country roadways east  and west of Shirlland and Rockton townships. August days exploring days, in pioneer ways on horseback, bareback...... woods and creek meanderings as we go, grasshoppers hopping, turtles plopping into the shallow, shrinking waters...... summer's end. Singing as we go, laughing, talking and dreaming about the 'some days' to come how we spent our August days, the  last of the summer days........days in our youth spent together...forever remembered with you, my Irish twin, my brother friend, Paul. <3

Who was Paul? For each of us who knew Paul either as a son, brother, nephew, cousin, uncle, or friend we all have different answers to that question. As Paul’s older brother I would like to share some of mine.

Paul was great guy. He was funny, a little sarcastic perhaps but he made us all laugh. Paul loved his family, loved animals (especially his cats) loved to cut hair (yes he would complain about it but he loved it) and loved his friends. Growing up Paul was not a guy that was into sports. He loved nature anything that was alive seemed to intrigue him so.

When I close my eyes and I can see Paul as a little boy running through the fields chasing Monarch Butterflies. I can see him returning home with his little brother Lee and one baby raccoon. There were chickens, ducks, ponies, and baby skunks you name it. Between Paul and Lee they acquired enough for their own petting Zoo.

Paul also loved to garden and work in his yard. He spent many days creating the back yard of his dreams. From adding numerous plantings, putting in a walking path, to creating two ponds connected together with a running stream and stocked with fish. It was absolutely gorgeous in the spring and summer which offered a quiet retreat from the daily stress of life.

I think of the time as a kid when Paul came to my rescue when I was fighting with one of the neighborhood boys. As the other kid was on top of me Paul ran over and hit him on the back with our plastic baseball bat. I remember when we were kids on one of our family vacations we were out east on the beach we had barbequed shrimp with chocolate milk. Paul and I got so sick.. I can see Paul now walking a few feet and then falling in the sand throwing up getting back up only to fall again after a few more steps and throw up some more, it was awful. I never ate barbequed shrimp again and I doubt that Paul ever did too. I remember Paul and I seeing all these bullfrogs under this old bridge and we went into the swampy water to catch them.

I remember shortly after leaving the Navy and moving back to Rockton, Jill and I gave Paul a money tree for his birthday. I remember how touched he was by that, so much so that when my birthday came around he showed up with a cute little black Lab puppy we named Sara. Later on we would share our love of Bulldogs. Paul and I bred our two Bulldogs and we had five cute little Bullies. A few years later Paul gave me a cute little female named Zoey the granddaughter of my male bully Buddy. Zoey now lives happily with my youngest son Daniel. Paul was always good for giving people great gifts he was a generous man.

I remember how excited he was when he told me he and his longtime friend Gina were opening their own salon and named it Gi’Pau.  He loved it and loved his clients and they loved Paul. My brother Paul touched many lives in the short time he was with us. There are many more stories about Paul that will be shared by our family as we get together and remember the good times with Paul. He will always be deeply missed by his family and friends.

Hey Paul say hi to Dad for me tell him I miss him, tell Grandma and Grandpa Bunn and Lowery I miss them too. Be seeing you again one day. Love you Paul.

George