Eulogy for my little brother, Robert 4/3/69~4/17/11

On behalf of our family, I'd like to thank you all for your thoughts, prayers and expressions of sympathy. ROBERT~~ I don't know this "Bob" that some of you  know and love.  He will always be known as "Robert" to me and perpetually be about 7 years old, like he was when I left home.   As a kid he had a nickname, "Bear."  I was wracking my brain trying to figure out how that started.  I think it ws the year I took French in 9th grade.  His name was "Hobear" in French and  eventually it got shortened to BEAR. When I got married in mid-Dec. 33years ago, we got a card from Robert that year.  On the inside flap he had written, "Jon if you hurt my sister there ain't gonna be NOTHING (double underlined) left of you when I get done!"  That was Robert's nature, to be a protector and to care for the underdog. (I held the card up so they could see it) He came out to visit us within a year or so at Ft. Leavenworth, KS.  He and my husband bonded after the initial welcome to the family. While he was there he went camping with my husband and his x-roommate.  Imagine 8 or 9 yr. old Robert out camping with two Marines.  Now he was one of the big guys.  One of my brothers was a Boy Scout but it could not have been Robert since he didn't help Jon identify the 3-leafed green plant and Jon came home covered in poison ivy. He went on to say in the card, "Diane..."  He must of thought of me as an old, married woman then, since I was never addressed by my given name.  I was always known as "Sis."  He says, "Diane, use this pencil every time you write anything to me - it has has my name on it.  P.S.  Merry Christmas, Love ya, Bear. How convenient, his name was on the pencil so I wouldn't forget him. Since I have lived away all these past 35 years, I haven't known Robert very well as an adult.  But, I do know that when we did talk, his favorite topic was his kids, ~ Jody, Dustin and Jenny. It's natural to wonder why Robert, why now in the prime of his life?  I don't know why...but I would like to think that if there are vehicles in heaven, a top mechanic just reported for duty.  I'd like to close with Isaiah 40:28-29 "Have you not heard? Have you never understood? The Lord is the everlasting God, The Creator of all the earth. He never grows weak or weary. No one can measure the depths of His understanding.  He gives power to the weak and strength to the powerless." God gave his own Son for us and He understands our grief.  I pray that He will give us who mourn the strength to carry on and may he give Robert eternal peace and rest.