A GOOD MAN GONE

In my life there have been 3 men, other than my father, whom I feel are responsible for my becoming the man that I have become. While in some instances, I feel that in no way can I ever reach their level in kindness, grace and guidance.

Sadly all three are now gone. These three men were pillars of their communities. Not, in your face political leaders, forceful blowhards, taking themselves and their positions in life, WAY to seriously, but quietly with their thoughtful words and deeds.

One was my Grandfather, Ike Lubenow. Gas Station owner, Stock Car racer, Go-Kart racer and fisherman. The next was Henry Uecker, Milk Man, Semi Driver, Next door neighbor and fisherman and hunter. The man whom I will write about here in this small tribute that is in no way fitting, is my long time friend and neighbor, father of my best friend in High School and all around great man. He also was one heck of a Walleye angler and Duck Hunter. His name is Edgar Abraham

I will never forget him, he always had time to talk to me, ask me how I was doing. Where I had been hunting or fishing, if I had been having any luck, how my family was. There are many things that I can say about Edgar, I will keep this breif because he would not want me to say these things, because he was a private man. Edgar was a veteran of WWII, he was a tanker. He served under General George S. Patton. Fought his way across Northern Africa, Italy, France and Germany. He was awarded 3 medals for things that he never mentioned or talked about. He married Marie who was one of the sweetest women I have ever met. One of the things that sticks in my mind was when I must have been in 6th ot 7th Grade. I was out playing with Edgars son, Jon, at the feed store that Edgar owned, on the south side of Gaylord. John and I played damned near every sport there was, and possibly some that we may have even invented ourselves. This particular day we were pitching and hitting a baseball around the yard. Jon threw a fastball down the pipe, and I got around on it and blasted that ball as far as I had ever hit a baseball before. It was an incredible feeling! Until the ball managed to smash right through Edgar's Maroon worktrucks windschield. I almost fainted, I knew I was dead! All I could think of was that if it was my dads truck or car, my mom would be picking out what I would be wearing in my funeral. Edgar had seen the whole thing and came down off the steps of the shop, looked at the windshield, opened the door and retrieved the ball, looked at me and said "Well, you got all of that one, maybe I should call Calvin Griffith and tell him to come out and bring a pen to sign you up." I was stunned. I have never forgotten it.

I also remember travelling up to Canada on our yearly summer camping and fishing trip up to Minnaki. It was Edgar, his son Jon, my father Roger and myself. Jon and I must have been 13 or 14. When we crossed the border at Baudette, a young custom's agent lady evidently thought that we were international terrorists, because we were all but strip searched. They tore apart the Travel-All, the Tow-Low Camper, our luggage, coolers, even the silverware drawers in the camper. Seemed like it took forever. Edgar was just a calm as ever, he even had a calming effect on my dad, which really when you really think of it was amazing! I have crossed the border into Canada, many, many times since that day and I have never been stopped since. I look back on it now and can only believe that it was because of Jon that we were stopped! :)

Lastly, I remember Edgar and the Duck Hunting trips that we took together. Lake Titloe, Altnow slough and Leech Lake. I remember when we went up to Leech and stayed at Sugar Point Resort, Walleye Fishing and Duck Hunting. Edgar reloaded his shot shells and on this occasion we had worked down the lake towards Boy Bay and had set our blocks up on a small point on a windy, cold and overcast day. As dawn broke a small flock of ducks swung into the wind and dropped from the sky, lowering their feet as though reaching out for the water and camaraderie promised below. Edgar said "Take'm!" and we rose as one, waiting for Edgar to open the show, when there was this noise, not a bang, or a boom, or a ka-pow. It was more of a phfffft, or a poof! We all looked back at Edgar and and he had this strange look on his face, then he lifted up his gun and pointed the barrel towards the water and the pellets rolled into the water, plop,plop,plop. "Not enough powder I guess" said Edgar. Man, did we laugh at that! I also remember Jon, pouring a cup of ice cold water down my dads ass crack on that trip. But that's another story.

A few weeks ago, I stopped in to visit Edgar at the nursing home in Hutchinson. He was in great pain. I brought him a copy of the Outdoor News, got him a nurse to try to ease his pain., and sat with him until it was time for him to go to dialysis. We got to catch up a little bit, not as much as I would have liked. If I would have known that it would be the last time on earth I would see him, I would have said more and I would have been their earlier. But, well you never know. He did tell me to stop by and say hello to Jon and his wife, and his grandson Sam, which I will soon.

I will miss Edgar, as I miss Henry and My Grand Father Ike. Great friends and community leaders to most, but Legends and Hero's to me.

Good Bye Edgar, God Speed!

GAYLORD — Edgar F. Abraham, 87, of Gaylord, died Wednesday, Aug. 8, 2007, at Birchwood Hospice House in Hutchinson. Funeral service will be 10 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 11, at Immanuel Lutheran Church in Gaylord, with military rites by the Manthey-Asmus American Legion Post #433. Interment in the church cemetery at a later date. Visitation will be 4 -8 p.m. Friday at Egesdal Funeral Home in Gaylord. Visitation will continue one hour prior to the service at the church. Edgar Frank Abraham was born on March 19, 1920, in Gaylord to Samuel and Antonia (Goetsch) Abraham. He was a U.S. Army veteran, serving in the European Theater from November 1942 to December 1945. Edgar is survived by his sons, Ronald Abraham of Elysian, Jon Abraham of Gaylord; a grandson; sisters, Alvira Doerre of Gaylord, and Norma Doering; and a brother, Ernst Abraham of Minneapolis.