#16 Tribute to a Former Co-Worker

For past few days, I have been struggling to find the right approach to a topic that I wanted to write about.  Finally after many stops and starts, I decided what I really needed to write about was a former co-worker who recently passed away.  He showed me and others how to live a life worth living.   

With his passing, I and others acknowledged what knowing him had meant to us.  One who worked closely with him said "he was really something without ever telling anyone he was really something".  Another said that "his legacy would be the kindness that he showed to so many people".  I would agree with both of those sentiments, but he was so much more.   

Although he worked in a remote office hundreds of miles away from me, he managed to stay in touch.  He stayed in touch with others too -- talking about their ailing parents, as he too had older parents.  He was always funny; always was part of a his office's "lunch bunch" and added life and character to the workplace.  But more importantly, he lead by example.  He stood up for what he believed in.  He would not compromise himself or his division just to suit someone else.  He would carefully explain why he felt so passionately about what he did and why the integrity of his work product was so important to the greater whole.     

For over 20 years he headed up a division that hired numerous graduate student assistants.  The students would come for a year or two, get hands on practical experience and be mentored and tutored by someone who knew his business.   More importantly they worked for someone who also cared about them and their well being.  Upon his retirement several years ago, I was amazed at how many of his former students traveled far and wide just to honor him -- he meant that much to them.   I thought at the time that there was no greater tribute -- the idea that he had mentored and meant to much to so many just said it all to me.

He did not need a "core values" statement, he just was.   He was a man of integrity.  He was honest with himself and others, stood up for his values, treated  people fairly and with compassion, and cared about what he did.  He taught us so much, without even knowing it.  He was the real deal and we were all the lucky ones for having known him.

Good bye my friend, thank you for teaching me and others so much -- yours was indeed a life well lived.