In Memoriam...

The world lost a treasure yesterday. A man of fun, a man of family, a man of duty, and a man with a work ethic. Glenn Emory Nocks passed away yesterday in Howell County, Missouri. Glenn and I talked on the telephone for many hours - sometimes up to 4 hours in one sitting... I felt connected to him. I could hear hear him light up a cigarette and take that first deep drag, while we were connected by that telephone wire; I heard him drink his Dr. Peppers, and sometimes coffee; I heard him let the dog in and out of the house. He told me stories of our family - I never met either of our grandparents, and he introduced them to me; he told me about his parents, whom I had never met; and he told me about himself and his family. I have never met any of them in the flesh... I hope to be able to meet his daughter very soon, even though it will be under terrible circumstances.

Glenn is survived by a daughter, Sarah; his mother, Theoda Smith Nocks; his step-daughter and ex-wife; his sister Eleanor, and her family; and my sister and I. He was the last male in my father's line of descent... I missed the chance to check his DNA for genealogy purposes. I missed being able to visit him before his death. And, even though we never actually shared the same space, or met in the flesh, I do miss him. Rest in peace and without pain, my dear.