Remembering Jerome

Can't believe a whole year has gone by since Jerome has been gone from our lives. I wanted to include a quote, in this post, from a eulogy I read a few months back that I thought applied so well to losing Jerome. "Our friend died on his own battlefield. He was killed in action fighting a civil war. He fought against adversaries that were as real to him as his casket is real to us. They were powerful adversaries. They took a toll on his energies and endurance. They exhausted t...he last vestiges of his courage and his strength. At last, these adversaries overwhelmed him. And it appeared that he had lost the war. But did he? I see a host of victories that he has won! For one thing, he has won our admiration, because even if he lost the war, we give him credit for his bravery on the battlefield. And we give him credit for the courage and pride and hope that he used as his weapons as long as he could. We shall remember not his death, but his daily victories gained through his kindnesses and thoughtfulness, through his love for family and friends, for animals and [movies] and music, for all things beautiful, lovely, and honorable. We shall remember not his last day of defeat, but we shall remember the many days that he was victorious over overwhelming odds. We shall remember not the years we thought he had left, but the intensity with which he lived the years that he had. Only God knows what [Jerome] suffered in the silent skirmishes that took place in his soul. But our consolation is that God does know and understand (and will remember him)." ~Rev. Weston Stevens. See more

Jerome with his niece Annabel (2009 & 2019). When Jerome was living with us, Annabel, who was only 2 at the time, would stand at the top of the basement stairs, early in the morning, and yell for her "Uncle Rome"! Ever the doting uncle, he would get out of bed and come upstairs every time to give her snuggles and play. He loved his nieces so much and was such a fun and loving uncle.