We drove to Missouri to honor our good friend David and to console his family. It was actually they and others there that consoled me. I have written about David Stewart before. An amazing man.
He had his PhD in physics/geophysics – I would have thought botany too as he knew the woodland trees and plants by name and their properties. Missouri is a land of caves and occasional earthquake-like tremors. He actually took his bride to a cave for their honeymoon! Though it was illegal and very restrictive in Missouri to have a midwife, he delivered all 5 of his children - 4 sons and one daughter. If I had only one word to describe David it would be Teacher. When he hiked, when he drove, he was always teaching his kids. He taught them how to live off the land staying there 3-5 days at a time. He loved the outdoors and work and was a perpetual learner. He taught at 2 colleges. He was a retired Methodist minister and wrote his book Healing Oils of The Bible which was/is a text his instructors use – for us for 14 years. He understood chemistry and wrote The Chemistry of Essential Oils made Simple - God’s love manifested in molecules, which Mer used while teaching – Chemistry in high school and college didn’t make sense to me or the relevance, until that book and David’s way of teaching made it rememberable. He also understood music theory, tuned the church’s piano, and played classical music, hymns and Maple Leaf Ragtime from memory. At the funeral, all 5 of his kids sang in perfect harmony. All of his kids inherited his gentle, humble, friendly nature and his sense of humor. I had only known 2 of his children until the calling hours and funeral yet somehow felt like, in talking to them, they knew and appreciated our and everyone’s stories and relationship with David.
Anthony the youngest was standing at the casket when we made our way to him. My heart went out to him. I knew David loved Mer (His first male instructor) and later loved me, yet it meant the world to me when Anthony said, “He loved you.” The funeral was oddly the most precious and sweet one I have ever attended. Afterword as we were walking out pew by pew to the casket, I looked at David’s dear face. “Goodbye David. I’ll see you later.” And, embarrassed, I burst out crying deep sobs for my and the family’s loss. One CARE Instructor who I didn’t know very well but had taught in an emotional retreat, came up to me and put her arms around me and said, “He really loved you.” Marie from Colorado is my favorite CARE Instructor. We grew up together in the beginning of this aspect of David’s life. “He loved you,” she said (David loved everyone). “How appropriate it is that we were there at the beginning and now at the end.” It was the end of an era. I watched her as she left in her rented car for St Louis airport. I wonder now if I will ever see her again.
Goodbye, David. I’ll see you later
He had his PhD in physics/geophysics – I would have thought botany too as he knew the woodland trees and plants by name and their properties. Missouri is a land of caves and occasional earthquake-like tremors. He actually took his bride to a cave for their honeymoon! Though it was illegal and very restrictive in Missouri to have a midwife, he delivered all 5 of his children - 4 sons and one daughter. If I had only one word to describe David it would be Teacher. When he hiked, when he drove, he was always teaching his kids. He taught them how to live off the land staying there 3-5 days at a time. He loved the outdoors and work and was a perpetual learner. He taught at 2 colleges. He was a retired Methodist minister and wrote his book Healing Oils of The Bible which was/is a text his instructors use – for us for 14 years. He understood chemistry and wrote The Chemistry of Essential Oils made Simple - God’s love manifested in molecules, which Mer used while teaching – Chemistry in high school and college didn’t make sense to me or the relevance, until that book and David’s way of teaching made it rememberable. He also understood music theory, tuned the church’s piano, and played classical music, hymns and Maple Leaf Ragtime from memory. At the funeral, all 5 of his kids sang in perfect harmony. All of his kids inherited his gentle, humble, friendly nature and his sense of humor. I had only known 2 of his children until the calling hours and funeral yet somehow felt like, in talking to them, they knew and appreciated our and everyone’s stories and relationship with David.
Anthony the youngest was standing at the casket when we made our way to him. My heart went out to him. I knew David loved Mer (His first male instructor) and later loved me, yet it meant the world to me when Anthony said, “He loved you.” The funeral was oddly the most precious and sweet one I have ever attended. Afterword as we were walking out pew by pew to the casket, I looked at David’s dear face. “Goodbye David. I’ll see you later.” And, embarrassed, I burst out crying deep sobs for my and the family’s loss. One CARE Instructor who I didn’t know very well but had taught in an emotional retreat, came up to me and put her arms around me and said, “He really loved you.” Marie from Colorado is my favorite CARE Instructor. We grew up together in the beginning of this aspect of David’s life. “He loved you,” she said (David loved everyone). “How appropriate it is that we were there at the beginning and now at the end.” It was the end of an era. I watched her as she left in her rented car for St Louis airport. I wonder now if I will ever see her again.
Goodbye, David. I’ll see you later