Herman is Gone...

Our dear friend and neighbor Herman Randles has passed away. The cancer that was in his leg finally moved into his spine. He stood up from his chair and 3 vertebrae collapsed. Despite terrible pain, he somehow managed to crawl to the phone and dialed 911 for help. (We were at church when this happened.) We came back and he was gone... never to return. His family came soon after and took everything out of the place- including the 2 front porch swings. Now the little cottage sits empty and dark. Each time I look out my window, there is a little stab of sadness in my heart.

Herman was a different sort of fellow, but always very respectful of all people and of living things. After being married 30 years and fathering 3 daughters, he simply decided he preferred a solitary life and moved to this property. It was heavily forested and he cleared it himself. (This place looks like a park on a hillside now.) He was careful to leave a lot of the trees in place- including the Dogwoods and whispering Pines that delight us so. He raised all kinds of animals here. Cows, pygmy goats, and a big pig. Stray cats that passed through always found a ready meal. A fighting cock and a hen from a neighbor way down the road somehow managed to escape their fates and made their way up to Herman's hill. He was happy to see them and put scratch out for them. That one mated pair started the big flock of semi-wild chickens that wander around our property today. Herman loved squirrels so he built a box that sat on top of the fence and kept it filled with corn so they could come feast without his dogs harassing them. In many ways I admire Herman. He was able to let go of all the things most people spend their lives chasing after. He had a little old pick-up truck, lived in a simple cottage he built himself, ate simple food and had about 5 outfits to his name. He took time to sit out on the front porch swing to breathe and reflect. If he heard about a family in need, he would give them money or buy them food. Our table was graced many times with jams he made himself. Herman took time to study the creatures and the earth. He raised healthy animals and lots of produce. He was in the military for 30 years and served in WWII, but he hated war and only ever wanted peace. He allowed one of his daughters and her family to put a house on the 5 1/2 acres and when they decided to move closer to town, he let them sell the entire place and keep the profit. When we purchased this property, they asked if we would like to have a renter and of course we said, "yes". So Herman stayed in his little cottage on the hill right up until the end of his life. We would check on him as frequently as we could without making him feel smothered. I was quite upset to see that Herman's Dr. was using him as a guinea pig for any and all experimental cancer medications. Some of the pills made him so sick he couldn't stand up or even eat. So he would complain and they would put him on something even worse. Finally, he said "Forget it, I'm not taking anything else. I am an old man. I know I'm dying and I want to spend the last part of my life on my feet and able to eat." (I think I would have done the same.)

Herman would seek me out when he was lonely. I will miss him calling me or making his way down the path to my door every so often inviting me up for a Coke. He loved to talk about his travels around the world, about his daughters and the many animals he had raised. He touched my life and the lives of many others, yet never belonged to any church. He was simply a wonderful person. He was in a great deal of pain toward the end and I was relieved to hear that he passed quietly in his sleep.

Farewell Herman, you fought your final battle with the courage of a soldier. I will always smile when I remember you...