An American Hero, A tribute! February 05 2020

My Aunt Carolyn asked me to share this. This is from the speech I gave at my Uncles memorial service. My Uncle Graham helped my dad teach me a lot of life lessons like how to drink, cuss, and gamble on football. Ironically enough he passed away on Super Bowl weekend. When the Eagles won on the famous Philly Philly play!

A Tribute

First of all, I appreciate the sacrifices that our servicemen and women have given us over the many years for this great country. For any of you out there who served I appreciate you from the bottom of my heart. Graham served and I watched him in pain for years because of him losing his leg in Korea, but he would never complain or let anyone know he was hurting. He was one of the toughest, most hard headed people I’ve ever known.

Graham and I had a different type of relationship than most uncles and nephews have. We had a few things in common so it was easy for us to get along and share conversation. We both enjoyed a good drink and gambling on whatever sport we were watching that day. I reckon I’m going to have to find someone else to call on Saturdays and Sundays during football season.

Graham was definitely one of a kind, he was brutally honest and he never held back on how he felt whether you liked it or not. We need more people like that in the world.

He never told me that he loved me but that’s because he was a mans man. But the thing about loving others is you don’t have to tell someone that, people show love in different ways or in different variations of words. I know he loved all of us, he just showed it in a different way.

The funniest thing I ever heard him say was one day at the house a couple years back, he and Carolyn were arguing about something, she said “oh yeah, I forget you’ve never been wrong.” He laughed and said “well actually I’ve been wrong before. I stepped on a land mine in Korea, I was wrong then, but I guess you’re right. That’s the only time I can think of that I’ve ever been wrong.”

Life comes and goes, our friends and family are the ones who keep us going. I’ve seen so many of Graham and Carolyn’s friends come to the house in support or just phone calls I appreciate all of you for coming and continuing to keep Carolyn in your prayers.

Cheers to an American Hero and the man who was only wrong once, Graham Hoots!