Saturday Morning Coffee Talk – Memorial Day

Good morning, sweet friends! Welcome to Saturday Morning Coffee Talk. Hope you have your cup of coffee in hand (tea or Favorite beverage).

Here on Saturday, I talk about random things going on over at White Lilac Farmhouse or little something about myself. It’s a chilly day here in Maryland. This morning, I am wrapped up in a throw to keep warm.

It’s Memorial Day Weekend. Memorial Day means different things to each individual.

For me, it is bittersweet as we remember those men and women you have died in active duty. They made an ultimate sacrifice with their lives.

In another month, it will be it will be 36 years since I lost a dear high school friend in the tragic TWA Hijacking in 1985. I can recall the days events like it was yesterday.

However, I will not go back there and endure the painful memories. Instead, I want to share my wonderful memories of this amazing guy, Rob Stethem. Someone that I loved dearly and shared many laughs with.

Rob was a shy guy unless you were good friends with him. Then he came right out of his shell. He had a great sense of humor. He loved sports and played on our high school football team. Rob is number 55 on the front row. He was just a sweetheart and a cutie pie too.

Rob was a year ahead of me in high school and dated at one point one of my girlfriends. He was also in the same homeroom as my first husband, Bill.

Rob and I ate lunch together just about everyday and had two classes together back to back. After gym class, he often liked to give me a piggyback ride down the hall to our next class, English. LOL He sat in the row right behind me. Of course, there were about five of us good friends all sitting together. And, often we one or more of us would get in trouble for talking or horsing around (playing a joke or another). Rob would sit behind me in class some days twirling my long hair. We always were joking around. Such great times and fun memories. If my boyfriend wasn’t at a party with me, Rob make sure that no one ever was out of line around me. My security guard. That’s what a sweetheart he was to all of his friends.

That year Rob and Connie went to the prom together. Here is Rob with Connie and Jay. We have a close nit group of high school friends. I still see Connie at family or friends get togethers. Jay and his wife, Bernadine are dear friends of mine. Jay and I would often talk about how much Rob would love our get togethers. After 36 years, he still and will forever be in our hearts.

This morning as I write this post, I am smiling thinking about all of the wonderful memories. There are so many to list. Like when I was practicing with a friend to try out for the pom-pom squad and found him sitting on the hood of my bug. He lived next door to my friend. All of the great and fun conversations! The stops by my work after he graduated to chit chat about life stuff telling me about going to join the Navy.

And, the anticipation of hearing about him finding the right person to get married someday. That day never came. He was taken away from us too soon. His friends all think about him. His memory continues to live on through all of us.

A building, a ship and a park have all been name after him. It is all well deserved. But most importantly, our sweet Rob will always be a hero for serving his country and for his tremendous bravery. And, the most amazing person to ever call a friend. I love you, Rob!

If you missed last week’s Saturday Morning Coffee Talk – Dealing With The Pandemic, you can read it here.

Hope you have a beautiful Memorial Day Weekend, sweet friends.