Remembering Dieter
Posted: February 15, 2009 12:58 pmFiled under: Kevin, amateur radio, amsat, reflection
Sometimes, death and funerals can pose dilemmas.
For example, what do you say to someone you don’t know?
Alan Seig - WB5RMG, and I went to Scottsboro for the visitation with Dieter Schliemann’s - KX4Y widow and family.
I only listened, nodded in agreement and said a few words of reinforcement when Alan spoke with Tina, Dieter’s widow.
When we moved on toward the children, for the briefest moment, the thought occurred to me that I was about to say something to the children and their spouses, and I didn’t know what to say. I didn’t know any of them, having never met them.
I looked his son in the eye. His sorrow, pain and grief was obvious.
I reached out my hand to hold his, and opening my mouth, I said, “I didn’t know your dad as well as many others, such as Alan,” as I glanced over at my left, and nodded in acknowledgment where he stood by my side.
Continuing I said, “But from the moment I met him and the few opportunities we had together, I was impressed that he was a fine gentleman of the highest character. I will sorely miss him, and yet I know you will more.”
I really don’t remember very much more, except that I embraced his son tightly, and as I was close whispered, “God bless you all.”
His sister was standing next to him and as I moved next to her, she embraced me tightly as she wept, and I simply held her briefly, and shared the same sentiment.
I think that in death, we are not as sorrowful for the departed as perhaps we are for ourselves, because we will not have them any more.
We will not have them for ourselves.
That’s what human interaction is. That’s where God is found. He is among us in our actions through and toward one another.
And I think that to some extent, when we lose a loved one or friend to death, we sense that we have lost a part of the goodness of God that we saw and experienced in and through our interactions with them.
I know I will miss Dieter.
God bless your memory, and rest in peace, my friend.
Kevin L. Bardon, RN
KG4RCP
March 13th, 2010 at 10:10 am
Dear Kevin,
My name is Ute Schliemann Talley, and I am Dieter’s daughter - the sister you refered to in your blog. I am online searching for a photo of my dad (KX4Y) doing what he loved best - something to do with amateur radio, and I just came upon your blog. I wanted to tell you that you, and all the others who I didn’t know, made such a difference in my life when you came to my dad’s visiting hour. To know how well loved my dad was, and to see how many lives he touched meant the world to me. Thanks for writing about it. The tears are streaming down my face, even a year later, but I really appreciated reading your words.
Sincerely,
Ute Schliemann Talley