One of the redeeming aspects of Social Media is that it provides a space to commiserate and find consolation at times of grief, like the loss of a classmate, a friend, even a pet.
Or a brother.
Early Tuesday morning my older brother Rich passed away. This is for him.
Richard Frederick Sackett was born November 9th, 1947 in Marshfield/Coos Bay, Oregon. He would graduate from Corvallis High School in 1965 and was a member of the wrestling team. It was he who had us watch the Beatles on Ed Sullivan and listen to the Mama's and the Papa's first album. He would marry young, and then almost immediately be shipped out to Vietnam, where he was assigned to helicopter crews. He never spoke much of his years there, but it did cast a shadow on his life.
A good life it was though. He came back from the war to Coos Bay and worked at (Uncle) Frank's Office Equipment in the seventies. He and his wife had two children, and though that marriage did not last, they remained friendly to the end.
He would spend the rest of his life in the Northwest, for a time in Corvallis, and the last 25 years in Portland/Vancouver area, remodeling a number of houses and working as a finish carpenter. He was also a wizard at electrical and plumbing projects. We have enjoyed our larger kitchen for 20 years thanks to him, and he was our go to handyman whenever the roof leaked or a faucet dripped.
"Lord of the Rings" was a touchstone for him. He loved his Blazers and was a huge fan of the Ducks and watching and playing golf, which he was quite good at. I was not, so we played pool.
He is survived by 7 siblings. He was the first of us to go. Also his ex-wife, two children, two grandchildren, a smiley great grandson, and a large extended family. He shall be missed by all.
I saw him a couple of weeks ago and gave him a DVD of The Band's final concert, a favorite film of his......"The Last Waltz."
Farewell and safe travels my brother.
