Ken Stout
Mary Lou, Jeff and family--
My wife Donna and I will miss
Chuck very much, especially now that spring is beginning.
It was the time that we would begin the season of visiting at the edge of my garden across the street from him. As difficult as it became for him to cross the street to his mailbox and to comment on the garden, Chuck continued to do it, even up til a few months ago, when it was clearly very difficult for him to walk.
Last summer, Chuck bought a brand new riding mower. After I spent the usual five hours mowing my lawn by pushing a conventional lawn mower, Chuck summoned me over to his porch. He said that he was angry with me. When I asked why, he said "because I have this new mower and I would have done it for you, and saved you four hours!"
Having once had an extensive collection of barbed wire, Chuck would help me identify the various kinds I was picking up off our land. He had me looking closely at the minute distinctions in shapes of barbs. I 'll always think of Chuck whenever I am out on the land.
Three years ago, we even hatched the idea of my helping him do a small vegetable garden for him out near the street. It never did very well in that soil and shade, but he watched over it and watered it religiously.
We talked together many times,
even while he was in the nursing home. The last complete sentence he said to me was "I hope your garden does well this spring."
We shall miss his gruff graciousness, his humor,and his spirit.
Ken (and Donna) Stout