 I’ve been thinking and talking and writing about George a lot since this happened, and last night I was thinking about what I would like to say about him today. So I thought about all the things that George told me about his life, and I realized that most of his stories began the same way, “Well, mom and I…”
George and Shirley were quite a pair. They were tight. Even before his dad died, they were often on their own. Shirley took 5 year old George with her when she went away to get her college degree in Washington, North Carolina. She was determined to get it, and she did, and it was hard work. She and George lived together and she took care of George and she went to school, which had to have been very hard.
Later, after her husband died, she made a home for him and worked to support them. George said, “The house was always perfectly clean. mom worked all the time grading papers. she cooked every night. (None of which I do.) I don’t know how she did it.”
I don’t know how she did it either. It was a time when there wasn’t a support system for a mom raising her son alone. No Mommy blogs. No play groups. No drop off nurseries. Shirley and George figured out a life together and worked together for their life to be good. George always said, “Mom let me be just who I was.” Sometimes that meant he was the ideal son, and sometimes he was handful.
But mostly, Shirley encouraged him to figure out who he wanted to be. When he heard the Beatles and fell in love with music, she bought him his first guitar. He always talked about how funny his friends thought it was that Shirley knew the words to all his Led Zepplin albums, but that was because she let him play his music. She understood he needed that, and she wanted him to be happy.
She put up with his crazy pets. She bought him his first car. She made sure he had cool clothes. And she let him wear his hair long. And later, when he quit college and went off to Atlanta to figure out his life, she was patient and understanding when he saw her less and went his own way for a while.
After a while he decided he wanted to learn to fly, and Shirley supported him while he went to Embry-Riddle and got his degree. She also helped him out when he was a flight instructor and made very little money while he was building up his hours after college. Because of Shirley, George got to fulfill many of his dreams.
When George and I had Lily, Shirley jumped right in. She is a wonderful grandmother to Lily and she helped George and I in so many ways during our marriage. Shirley has always been there for George, and now for me and Lily.
George was a good husband. A good father. An honest man. I haven’t met many men like that. He was responsible and good to us. He did what Shirley taught him to do: he took great care of us.
I think if George were here today he would want to thank Shirley for all she gave him in life. Since he’s not here to do it, I’d like to thank you, Shirley, for helping George to grow into the person that he was. He loved you very much.
 Now, before I turn the program over to the other speakers, I do want to say just one thing. Yesterday, Cathy set up a special treat for Lily and Sara and me. We had a behind the scenes tour of the Biltmore house that a friend of hers set up for us.
It was beautiful in the house, since they are setting up for Christmas. While we were touring the house, we went out on one of the balconies to look out at the mountains. It was raining just a bit, and misty up on the mountains, and we were all staring out just thinking our own thoughts for a second. I was thinking about George, and how he would have loved to see that beautiful sight.
 Then Cathy said, “Look!” and what did we see? A perfect rainbow coming out of the clouds. It stayed there for a moment, just long enough for us all to see, and then it vanished.
Lily said, “I’ve never seen a real rainbow.” and its true, even though she draws them all the time, she’s never seen one. And I leaned over and said, “Who do you think sent that rainbow to you?” And Lily answered, “Daddy?”
Maybe he did send it. For just that one minute, to make us all happy again. And we were.
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Lily Releasing Balloons at the Asheville Memorial
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{ 4 comments }
Beautiful, Lisa. You did a terrific job.
I got chills reading your story of the rainbow. Yes, I believe George sent that rainbow for you all and I am glad he did.
just wow. great job. have a good feeling about asheville for both of you…..hugs, b
Perfect! In countless ways. Thank you for including the photos. Asheville sounds like a wonderful place to visit and live. Lily looks years older and matured over night. She is a beautiful “young lady”. You must be so very proud of her. I see peace in Asheville.
wow what a post. I got chills reading this and that rainbow was for you guys.
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