Happy New Year!
We had a great time celebrating with our extended family last night. My 95-year-old Grandmother was with us. My Mom and Bob were there, all of my siblings, and all but two of my nieces and nephews were there-- 27 of us on hand to bring in 2007. It was great!
While we were passing the evening, the late President Ford's weekend ceremonies came up. It's been interesting watching the coverage and historic "rewind" of his public life. He is the last living member of the Warren Commission (that investigated the Kennedy assassination), and he helped close the lid on Watergate. In that sense, he sort of has a behind-the-scenes role in the years I've been studying and writing about of late.
At the end of these paid respects he will be laid to rest here in Grand Rapids (just thirty minutes away).
Speaking of Boys' Life
The previous post included some aspects of boys' life we generally don’t discuss. The theme played on the title of the official magazine of the Boy Scouts of America. President Ford was the only "Eagle Scout" to ever serve as president. I remember he used to do a commercial when their campaign slogan was "Scouting Rounds a Guy Out." That was back in the common-sense days when the Boy Scouts didn't have to worry about law suits from the ACLU for mentioning God or maintaining decent lifestyle expectations for those who would choose to join or work with the boys in their organization. Enough said about that...
My brothers were Cub Scouts when I was too young to officially join, but since Mom was a den-mother, I got to hang around. My cousin Mike stayed in the Boy Scouts through high school and, like President Ford, earned Eagle Scout rank (less than 5% of all scouts do so). We went up to Bad Axe for the ceremony. Years earlier, our two families often went camping and SCUBA diving together up in Canada. Years later, after a day of diving, Mike was killed by a drunk driver. He had just finished his freshman year of college. My brothers and I and our male cousins were pallbearers. I've often thought of him and missed him through the years…and did again today. [Some links updated on 1-2-07.]
We had a great time celebrating with our extended family last night. My 95-year-old Grandmother was with us. My Mom and Bob were there, all of my siblings, and all but two of my nieces and nephews were there-- 27 of us on hand to bring in 2007. It was great!
While we were passing the evening, the late President Ford's weekend ceremonies came up. It's been interesting watching the coverage and historic "rewind" of his public life. He is the last living member of the Warren Commission (that investigated the Kennedy assassination), and he helped close the lid on Watergate. In that sense, he sort of has a behind-the-scenes role in the years I've been studying and writing about of late.
At the end of these paid respects he will be laid to rest here in Grand Rapids (just thirty minutes away).Speaking of Boys' Life
The previous post included some aspects of boys' life we generally don’t discuss. The theme played on the title of the official magazine of the Boy Scouts of America. President Ford was the only "Eagle Scout" to ever serve as president. I remember he used to do a commercial when their campaign slogan was "Scouting Rounds a Guy Out." That was back in the common-sense days when the Boy Scouts didn't have to worry about law suits from the ACLU for mentioning God or maintaining decent lifestyle expectations for those who would choose to join or work with the boys in their organization. Enough said about that...
My brothers were Cub Scouts when I was too young to officially join, but since Mom was a den-mother, I got to hang around. My cousin Mike stayed in the Boy Scouts through high school and, like President Ford, earned Eagle Scout rank (less than 5% of all scouts do so). We went up to Bad Axe for the ceremony. Years earlier, our two families often went camping and SCUBA diving together up in Canada. Years later, after a day of diving, Mike was killed by a drunk driver. He had just finished his freshman year of college. My brothers and I and our male cousins were pallbearers. I've often thought of him and missed him through the years…and did again today. [Some links updated on 1-2-07.]
posted by .Tom Kapanka | 10:24 PM
5 Comments:
Happy New Year to you, Tom! С Новым Годом from Russia. Just roaming around here and came across your blog. Couldn't help but decided to drop a line of gratitide for your warm feelings about this cold life. Thank you, all the best to you and all and every member of your family. God bless you!
Godo, greetings to you in Russia. I still marvel at the easy reach of the internet. Thank you for stopping by and for the kind comment. Do you have a blog address?
T.K.
Thanks for posting over at my blog. Happy New Year to you and your family.
I too have memories of Gerald Ford. Mr Ford was the first of three Commanders in Chief that I served under. Mr Ford did the right thing in pardoning Nixon.
I have a living memory of the Warren commision right here in Pennsylvania, Arlen Specter. Mr Specter was the one to float the ridiculous "single bullet" theory.
I'll never forget the remarks my Father (a lifelong dyed in the wool Democrat) made to me during the debates with Carter though. My Father quipped "you know you are in trouble when you make that fool Jimmy Carter look good". That's when I knew, unfortunately, I'd be serving under that incompetent man, Jimmy Carter.
My Brother was a Cub Scout and Boy Scout. Since I am the the repository for my familiy's historical items (junk yard) I just ran across an official Cub Scout pocket knife that was my Brother's. I looked on ebay to see it's approximate value and it wasn't like I found the long lost "other pieces" of the "Hope Diamond" but it does have a significant sentimental value to me.
Stop by my blog again.
Jennifer Gallagher
It does seem as though Ford was destined not for greatness but utility in a parenthetical presidency, but hearing the speeches at his funeral, I do have a more positive impression of him. I live about a half hour from his Presidential library but have never been there. My wife and I hope to go sometime soon.
Happy New Year, Tom. Isn't it interesting how vastly different the funeral ceremonies were for President Ford and James Brown?
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