Lessons Learned

A blistering cold November wind hit my face and made my mind wonder back to a time of clowning with my knucklehead friends as we played sandlot full tackle, no pads football at Brooker Field.  The whirl of bike tires could be heard as Wiz, Kondas, and Ox met up with the likes of Ski, Ren, Patty O, Beck, and Delprince.   We would wait as Double D, Knepshield and many others would arrive in tattered clothes for a mud bowl. We were The “Boys of Brooker Field”. Decades of  wet and cold November days have come and gone since I last felt the mud of Brooker on my face.   The “Boys of Brooker Field” are men in our fifties with jobs and families.  Buckey and O'Rourke have walked through the end zone fog and waved goodbye for the last time.  We cannot see them, but we can still hear them laughing. We might be men in our fifties, but our lives reflect the lessons that we learned as we tackled each other and slid through the mud. Everyone plays ...

Richard “Dick” Oxley, Sr Eulogy   September 12, 2015 Presenter: Rick Oxley, Son On behalf of my Mom and our family,  we appreciate your comforting presence today.  The overwhelming love we have felt over the past few days from family and friends is up lifting.   My dad would say that we should have charged admission. We would like to thank Father Rodriguez for being our celebrant.  We would like to thank Deacon Gardner for a heartfelt personalized message.  My dad would be pleased that his friend, Mr. Wrisley, son-in-law Jack is an altar attendant.  We would like to thank Monica for being our accompanist and guardian angel. The longer you live the more your life simmers down to the very essence of who you are.   My Dad lived a good long life until it simmered down to one word and that word is friend. My brother and I can see my dad smile and the sparkle in his eye as he says my best friend and the person who m...