Gary Davis passed away on October 21 of this year. He was a year younger than I and was a team mate of mine on the MDR basketball teams of 1957-1959. The thing I remember most about Gary is that he was a true gentleman. He tried hard in everything he did and was very competitive but in the end was always the consumate gentleman. Gary was much smarter than I in the ways of the world because he understood that being a good dancer will attract the women much faster than being on the starting five in basketball.

Gary's good manners I am sure eminated from his father Elmo and his uncle Glen who both were also true gentlemen. The Davis family was always known as friendly and outgoing.

I didn't see much of Gary after he left high school in 1960 but I did run into him once about 10 years ago. He still was the same friendly, outgoing person that I remembered. In his obituary I was not surprised to see that he had a successful career in sales.

David Weistart died last year at the age of 60. He graduated from MDR in 1958 and was valedictorian of his class. David was a medical doctor at the VA Hospital in Phoenix. He was known for his special kindness and empathy for the veterans under his care. Prior to that he had his own private practice. At his funeral many of his former patients were there to pay their respects.

I had visited with David periodically over the past thirty years but I hadn't talked to him for about 4 years prior to his death. He always remained the self-effacing, humble, yet brilliant person who didn't have a mean bone in his body. When I learned of his death, I thought of how terrible it was to lose a person who was doing so much for his fellow man.

I do not have the same reverence for all doctors as I did for David. I have encountered many doctors who are arrogant and seemed to be indifferent in their treatment. David was concerned about not only his patients but also his friends. He would always be there to lend a helping hand.

Again, I feel that family influence was a major factor in David's life. He came from an amazing family. His parents, Frank and Verna Weistart raised 5 very successful sons in their home on Locust Street. In addition to David, Jerry was a successful banker and investor, Barth owned and operated a CPA firm, James is a computer and information systems manager, and John is a nationally known lawyer and author.

Gail Cullen was one of my closest friends and was a classmate of David Weistart. He died October 29 from complications brought on by a lifelong battle against juvenile diabetes. Gail's father died at an early age. He was raised by his mother in the house of his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Broers on Walnut Street.

As a young man in high school Gail was a leader. He was a superb baseball pitcher and an excellent basketball player. He was tall, dark, good looking, witty and smart. My friends and I formed a loose knit group called the Beasty Buddies in the late 50's. Gail was the recognized leader of the gang and we always deferred to him for advice and counsel as we held court many times on the bank corner. Occasionally, our group would get a little crazy, like the time we decided to buy black jackets and put the emblem of a wolf on the back. Gail would have none of this nonsense as he could see it as an infantile and ridiculous act.

Gail's most notable quality was his forthright honesty and courage in facing life's challenge. I feel that he was influenced to a great extent by his grandfather, Fred Broers. Neither person suffered fools easily and both had a keen intellect and a sharp wit. Mr. Broers, who was a lifelong farmer, built telescopes in his basement and studied the stars while his peers were studying the corn market.

I think Gail's honesty and forthrightness was shaped by his realization that he was dealt a bad hand in the game of life with his diabetes and that he would have to make every second count. He could not become a philosopher or dreamer since he probably felt that was a luxury only for those who had idle moments to while away in their life. He was one of the most practical people I knew. Everything was thought out before he made a decision. Perhaps he felt that he could not afford to make a wrong decision.

Gail never smoked or drank and kept his weight under control all of his life. But it wasn't enough because diabetes finally got the best of him. Gail spent the last 10 months of his life in the hospital and in a nursing home. I admired him for his stoic acceptance of his lot in life. He never once complained to me about his condition or his illness. He kept plugging away doing the best he could to carry on a career and raise a family. I hope when my time comes that I can face death with the dignity and courage that Gail did.

Good bye my friends. You have enriched my life and will continue to live on in my memories.