Friday, August 15, 2008

Remembering Kenny...

I Lost a friend the other day...Kenny author of Letters From Kenny. He was the husband of one of my workers, Carol, and long before I met him I had heard about him from Carol, and other friends of his. Kenny was a retired Navy man, and a WONDERFUL poet. He and Carol had been married forever. I think Carol said she was 14 when they married. and I believe she is 65 now. so they were married close to if not more than 50 years. Every breath each of them took was reflected in the other ones' eyes.

Carol is a mighty whirlwind, and Kenny is very laid-back and lets her rip! Kenny also makes the greatest Texas Brisket you ever clamped your teeth on. He is a legend at every NEX potluck and BBQ.

Last month I received an email from Kenny with his latest Poem from his Blog, and a note about the fact that he is battling Pancreatic Cancer. I saw him two weeks ago, and knew it would not be long. It wasn't, and for that we are all thankful, as he was suffering, maybe not outwardly, but you could read it in his eyes. Carol was her normal upbeat, wonderful self, and I knew that if anyone could pull Kenny through this it would be Carol. She couldn't. Kenny died Wednesday night. He is with his Lord right now, and I know that if there is such a thing as redemption, Kenny will get it. He loved his family, he loved his poetry, and he loved his Lord.

GOD Kenny, You will be missed!

Here is his last poem posted, but do yourself a favor, and go read through all of his poems and letters, they are really heart warming, and tear jerking.

Sunday, June 08, 2008

Tell Me A Memory

Carol and I play this game. "Tell Me A Memory" (I made it up)
She tells me one of her favorites and I tell her mine. It gets a little emotional (duh) ,but it does help me realize the wonderful life I have had.(here is the poem) hugs kenny

Tell Me A Memory
by kenny merrell


Tell me a memory of times past
where we captured the moon
the stars so bright we traced our name in the sky
Rainbows in bands of color bright
showed the way to treasures of the mind,
time was but a word and
dreams always had happy endings.
Tell me a memory as we sit holding hands
and cry of news of sadness and
think of the words “In sickness and in health” and
“For better or for worse “ which were only random concepts to contemplate
Now each day becomes a memory
As sunrise and sunset become brighter, purer,
a precious gift from our Lord and Savior
we share with each other and marvel at such a life
Tell me a memory
Where “Now I lay me down to sleep”
Etched in stone ,tossed into the sea
Tells a memory

Kenny Merrell


8 comments:

Phyllis said...

Awww, I'll miss his poetry.
I visited him alot!

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry you lost a friend. In 2006 I lost a cousin (dad's cousin actually). She was right around 85 and died of pancreatic cancer. It can happen very quickly. How good it is that you have his poetry to remember him by.

Sally said...

I, too, am sorry for your loss, and for his family. That's a lovely poem.

Brenda said...

I am so, so, sorry that you've lost a dear friend Miz Mary lou. His poetry is amazing, so beautiful, it will live on.

Dick said...

I am sorry about the loss of your friend. I lost a favorite cousin this summer to lung cancer and she didn't smoke! She was older than me but only 18 months and we were pretty close when growing up. It is hard.

Donna said...

So Sorry for your loss Mary Lou...sending prayers to all that loved him...hughugs

Anonymous said...

I'm so sorry!!

Rain Trueax said...

I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. His poems were beautiful and sounds like they had the kind of marriage that makes monogamy seem like the right thing. Sad that he died prematurely but beautiful that they had such a wonderful relationship all those years.