With a tip of the hat to Virgil Xenophon, who sent me this link to a recent tribute to our Beloved Lex.
…I happened upon the blog about four years ago while looking for something to occupy my time while working in SandyTown. I’m not sure what the original search parameters were that landed me on his page, and truthfully, I’m not sure why I stayed. The acronyms and military jargon was thick, and it seemed like everyone knew everyone else. I lurked for about four months before I worked up the courage to comment on something Lex had posted, and I’m glad I did. My perspective was not well-received in some quarters, and Lex took the time to send me a private message encouraging me to post more. He explained some of the finer points of posting on his site, and I took his advice and waded in on more than one occasion. Several other posters were supportive, and I stopped feeling like I was tearing a hole in the universe if I took an alternate tack to what appeared to be the prevailing opinion….
Go, read the whole thing. It’s not long and it’s truly beautiful. The writer is DaisyMae – someone who used to comment on The Mothership for a few years. The blog is Aston Martins and Cat Spit.
Go – read what DaisyMae has to say about Lex. It will likely sound very familiar to you – it’s what we all felt about him.
A nice and fitting tribute from one who truly stood on the other side of the line, so to speak. Seeing the picture again made me miss him…again.
The Daily Lex is a nice thing to have, but not having Lex leaves me thinking at times that I’m holding on where I should be letting go.
On a tangent, My Great Aunt Orma Brown Davis passed away last night, and I can’t help but think of the wonderful reunion she’s having with her husband and family. The last of eight siblings, Aunt Orma now gets to catch up with the other seven and her parents. What an amazing time that must be!
For all of us that day will come with Lex, and I wonder how it’ll be. Awkward? For some, yes. Joyous? Most likely. A raucous party at some place akin to Shakespeare’s? You betchur ass it will. I guess the hard part is the wait. Damn the wait.
My condolences Mongo, It’s never easy to lose family.
Very nice. Thanks for posting Kris, and for directing her here and the FB group.
Being one of the few (the only one?) who came here after Lex’s accident the tribute piece has helped me know him, and why so many of you are cohesive to this day from his memory.
My observations – as an outsider (if I may).
1. Lex was a gentleman – fostering opinions perhaps not widely held but if polity and intelligently offered, welcomed by him.
2. He was – perhaps the word is – Renaissance Man, having interests in the world far beyond the military world.
3. He had a rare incite into societal events can could notice the changes – and the effects of the changes.
…and Mongo I have no doubt there will be a reunion. Lots of laughter and reminiscing. I had an aunt (not the one I just mentioned, Gawd no) but we were as close and mother and son.
I could talk to her about anything on my mind and she had common sense. She was one of those rare people who extended kindnesses to others – that only she, the recipient and God knew.
About 10 years ago, she had a stroke. By chance my parents were visiting her and took her straight to the hospital. The nurse receiving her at the ER just happened to be a woman she consoled at the hospice where she volunteered – her husband had just died and the woman was considering ending it all.
So in one of those mysterious “coincidences” she is now there to help my aunt.
While there my aunt said she could see my uncle – who died 5 years earlier – sitting by her bedside wanting her to join him.
She recovered but didn’t have all her faculties. I used to call her every night – and I’m told she looked forward to it at her retirement home.
a few years ago my niece was getting married in Minnesota and me, being a car guy who loves a good road trip, took my 20 year old Mercedes with 300,000 miles on its latest adventure. Why not drive from CA to MN?
After that, my aunt, being in WV – a mere 800 or so miles away – well, I headed there. I did 7,492 miles in 2 weeks.
My mother told me that I should remember her the way she was not how she is, but I would not be dissuaded. I got to tell her how much she and my uncle had meant in my life, and I had a sense that through that damaged mind, she understood. When I left I got teary knowing that this would probably be the last time I would see her.
Two months later she had another massive stroke and died right after Thanksgiving.
And I am so glad I got to see her one more time…until the reunion.
Sounds like you had a similar relationship.
Mongo and Bill: I echo what Daryle said. No matter how much we believe in that eventual reunion, losing loved ones is tough on the living.
My dad never knew about Lex, he died in 1995. Yet I know that they have met now and are regaling each other with stories and creating their own new adventures. In fact, I have to believe the line of people waiting to meet up with Lex probably eclipses the line at a woman’s rest room at a Michael Buble concert (trust me, I’ve done the legwork…).
Bill – you are so right, Lex was all those things and so very much more. Truly one of the most rare and unique individuals I have ever known. Like DaisyMae said, and I often wondered myself, how did he find the the time to work and have a family???
But then I say that and realize that Lex lived his life to the fullest every second of the day – leaving nothing missed. As if he knew his time here was short. Of course as a strike fighter I know he figured he should have died a very long time ago – so he crammed life in as fast as possible.
Kris:
I don’t know what I was doing wrong, but I could not see anything other than the beginning of the tribute.
Paul
Unfortunately it might be time to start moving on…the tributes are fine and clearly heartfelt…the loss of Lex and the fond memories of what the Blog once was will always be there…
…still and regretfully I think its time to start the process of moving on. Best, Frank C.
Lex inspired me to get back in the saddle. I’m going for my medical next week. Looks like I will be flying Airtankers if everything works, His death didn’t deter me it inspired me. Back in February I lost a good friend to cancer. He was a Mechanic of incredible ability. In his passing his optimisum
of the life to come, and the fact it is not the end but the beginning. Lex
left us the next month. To recall my Cowboy/Indian Pop(there’s a little Cherokee in the McCoy woodpile-Granma..) He said: “Son there are
far worse things than dyin’ with yer boots on.” Pop did just that he
was whangin’ on car when his last words to his buddy Al was
“Here’s your torque wrench back.” Saddled up and crossed over..
So now what? well I’m waiting to get word about a contract.
But I can’t wait to get my Throttle callouses back-common affliction of DC-7
co-pilots..