Thinking about the passing of Jim Rooks a day or two ago put me in mind of another Northern Michigan friend/acquaintance of mine with whom I taught school for over thirty years, an Upper Peninsula native, Jack Eckola.
Jack died shortly after retiring, years ago.
He would come ‘downstate’ in the fall to resume teaching duties and at the end of the school year return to his beloved North.
In mid-May he would announce that once again he had begun to ‘empty the freezer’ in preparation for the annual trek to Crystal Falls, to a cabin he built from logs he cut and had prepared at a local mill.
He told one of his sons that when he married, it had better not be in the summer, for if it was, Dad would not be there.
Anyway, we visited Jack’s cottage in Crystal Falls a number of years ago and we knew that his wife, Packy, was an accomplished artist.
I have since found out that she was also an author; historian; public figure in Crystal Falls; and probably other things that I know nothing of.
Our main contact was with Jack.
So it was that I decided that since we were recently not too far from Crystal Falls just a few days ago, that I would ‘Google’ her name.
Well, up came many, many ‘hits’ and to my regret discovered that she had passed away just a couple of weeks ago.
And so I say to Packy, it was an honor to have known you and we recognize you as a person we should have gotten to know better.
You and Jack will be in our thoughts and prayers.
A thought from our annual Christmas Letter comes to mind:
Ah Friends, dear friends, as years go on
And heads get gray
Touch hands, touch hands, with those that stay.
Touch hands with ‘those who stay’.
One never knows.
Godspeed, Packy Eckola.
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2 comments:
I love that, Paul..."touch hands with those who stay." Brought tears to my eyes.
Paul, my name is Tracey and I'm Packy & Jack's daughter. That was very nice of you to post this.
You're right! All of us kids DID NOT get married in the summer because we knew that dad would not be there! Now, I have that cabin and it's very odd to walk in, knowing that neither one of them are not there.
I haven't changed a thing. There is STILL no tv (which, I don't think I'll ever have one there) and no computer, just a radio, a cribbage board, a bucket to pick berries, a boat to go fishing in, and that beautiful view from anywhere you sit.
It would be interesting if you contacted me, because, for the life of me, I cannot remember your last name!
Here's my email address: satniterox@yahoo.com
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