"The Greatest Generation"

My father in law died last week. He was eighty-four years old but I still had hoped he had several more years left on this earth. His name was Joe Millard and he was an exemplary individual. He was also a member of what Tom Brokaw has called "The Greatest Generation," those people who were born prior to and during the depression and fought the good fight during World War II.

Joe was a member of the Navy and saw duty during WWII. Although he was born Scotland and was not a citizen when he enlisted, he argued with the recruiter that we were all fighting the same enemy. He and his brother Danny were accepted for duty in the Navy and Joe became a citizen after the war ended. Danny did not make it home from the war.

Joe adored his brother Danny. Just days before Danny was killed Joe learned that the ship he was on and the ship Danny was on would cross paths in the Pacific. Somehow they arranged to be on deck at the right time so they could wave to each other. It was the last time Joe saw Danny.

When Danny entered the Navy he left behind a girlfriend named Mary Lou Matson. Everyone knew they would be married when the war was over. When Danny didn't return Joe and Mary Lou consoled each other and that consolation turned to love. They married and had been wed for sixty-one years when he died.

Family was everything to Joe. He wanted his kids to grow up and get married but he would have been happy if they had all lived next door to him. Out of the four children, three remain in the St Petersburg, Florida area. My wife was the only one who moved away.

I remember clearly that after our honeymoon in North Carolina my wife and I went to St Petersburg to pack up our wedding gifts. When it came time for us to leave I didn't think Joe was going to be able to handle it. Terry, my wife, was the first child to get married and it was killing him that she was moving to Georgia.

When I was trying to get Terry into the car Joe was holding on to one arm and I was pulling on the other. Eventually he let go but he wasn't happy about it. Later she told me that when he was walking her down the aisle he whispered in her ear, "You can still call this whole thing off."

Joe's love for his wife and children never wavered. He was a prime example of a devoted husband and father. At his funeral his children spoke glowingly of how great he was to them all. And an abundant number of friends also praised him to the family.

Joe's generation worked hard, loved hard and lived life to the fullest. He was devoted to his God, his country and his family. He will certainly be missed by all who loved him. As his generation dies out we will be left with a void in our American culture.
 

 

 

 

 

©2007 Jackie K. Cooper

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