Today would have been Uncle Billy's 90th birthday.

My memories of him go all the way back to when I was a baby.  I've always remembered him to be this giant lovable teddy bear who always had a smile for me.  He was a giant as he was over six-foot tall with giant hands and giant feet.  I remember getting inside one of his shoes as if it were a streamlined race car like in the cartoon Speed Racer.  

I didn't get to see him very often, so it was always a treat when my family traveled to see him in Texas or he'd travel to California to see us.  After we moved to Georgia in 1975, we still didn't get to see him very much until he moved to Jesup, Georgia, to be closer to family.  

He always had a formidable work ethic and was not afraid to get his hands dirty.  His resourcefulness in his abilities to build, repair, or resolve things was appreciated by Aunt Mavis (his sister) and my dad. Uncle Billy would be in town frequently and would always be ready to give either one a hand.

My bff Lisa and I were extremely grateful for his help in moving our stuff to Atlanta in 1987.  No, that's not accurate.  Uncle Billy brought our furniture and belongings to our new two-story townhouse apartment and unloaded everything to its proper rooms BY HIMSELF!!  GRATEFUL doesn't begin to cover it.  HELP doesn't begin to cover it.  The man was in his late 50s for crying out loud!  

Uncle Billy has, to my honest recollection, always been a strong and robust man.  He very rarely had to be hospitalized for anything.  The two exceptions I can immediately recall was in 1988 in Augusta, Georgia, and in the early 2000s in Jesup, Georgia, when he contracted West Nile Virus.  He was actually interviewed by Bill O'Reilly of Fox News a couple of months later.  I guess a man in his 70s kicking West Nile's butt was newsworthy. 

Many family members fondly recall all the times he carried those long balloons in his pocket.  He's happily pull one out, blow it up, and make a balloon animal to give it to a child just to make that child smile.  You could see the grin on his face, too.  He enjoyed making people smile.

Speaking of enjoyment, this man loved to square dance.  He'd frequently travel on the road to many different states to various gatherings of square dance enthusiasts and participate.  At his 75th birthday party, I got to see him in action.  Wow!  His moves looked effortless on the floor!  I was in awe.  With his robust presence and his zeal to enjoy life, it was easy to forget just how old he was.  

He was my last living uncle, and the only other person besides my sister who has known me my entire life.  The last time I saw him was when I was hospitalized in Jacksonville last year.  That was the last time I got a hug from him, or as I call it, "my Uncle Billy fix.".  He was one hell of a man and a loving father figure.  Rest in peace, Uncle Billy.

Rest In Peace, Uncle Billy

Today would have been Uncle Billy's 90th birthday.

My memories of him go all the way back to when I was a baby.  I've always remembered him to be this giant lovable teddy bear who always had a smile for me.  He was a giant as he was over six-foot tall with giant hands and giant feet.  I remember getting inside one of his shoes as if it were a streamlined race car like in the cartoon Speed Racer.  

I didn't get to see him very often, so it was always a treat when my family traveled to see him in Texas or he'd travel to California to see us.  After we moved to Georgia in 1975, we still didn't get to see him very much until he moved to Jesup, Georgia, to be closer to family.  

He always had a formidable work ethic and was not afraid to get his hands dirty.  His resourcefulness in his abilities to build, repair, or resolve things was appreciated by Aunt Mavis (his sister) and my dad. Uncle Billy would be in town frequently and would always be ready to give either one a hand.

My bff Lisa and I were extremely grateful for his help in moving our stuff to Atlanta in 1987.  No, that's not accurate.  Uncle Billy brought our furniture and belongings to our new two-story townhouse apartment and unloaded everything to its proper rooms BY HIMSELF!!  GRATEFUL doesn't begin to cover it.  HELP doesn't begin to cover it.  The man was in his late 50s for crying out loud!  

Uncle Billy has, to my honest recollection, always been a strong and robust man.  He very rarely had to be hospitalized for anything.  The two exceptions I can immediately recall was in 1988 in Augusta, Georgia, and in the early 2000s in Jesup, Georgia, when he contracted West Nile Virus.  He was actually interviewed by Bill O'Reilly of Fox News a couple of months later.  I guess a man in his 70s kicking West Nile's butt was newsworthy. 

Many family members fondly recall all the times he carried those long balloons in his pocket.  He's happily pull one out, blow it up, and make a balloon animal to give it to a child just to make that child smile.  You could see the grin on his face, too.  He enjoyed making people smile.

Speaking of enjoyment, this man loved to square dance.  He'd frequently travel on the road to many different states to various gatherings of square dance enthusiasts and participate.  At his 75th birthday party, I got to see him in action.  Wow!  His moves looked effortless on the floor!  I was in awe.  With his robust presence and his zeal to enjoy life, it was easy to forget just how old he was.

He was my last living uncle, and the only other person besides my sister who has known me my entire life.  The last time I saw him was when I was hospitalized in Jacksonville last year.  That was the last time I got a hug from him, or as I call it, "my Uncle Billy fix.".  He was one hell of a man and a loving father figure.  Rest in peace, Uncle Billy.