My Friend The "Renaissance Man"

Yesterday afternoon, I attended a wonderful memorial service for a very good friend from childhood, Kevin Wood.

Just before Christmas, Kevin passed away. When I got the word, I was in utter disbelief. Kevin was only 60, for Pete’s sake! He wasn’t supposed to go this soon!

Kevin was talented in so many ways. Whether it was restoring a locomotive, building a computer, or playing the trumpet or piano, he was a master. He was also fluent in Russian and loved history. In other words, he was a modern day "Renaissance Man".

I'll always remember hanging out with him as a child when he lived just a few doors down from us in Snellville, Georgia, plus the times later in life when we’d talk on the phone, ride mopeds together, and share his love of trains and music. We kept up with one another on Facebook, but sadly, the last time I saw him was in the mid-90s.

Kevin’s memorial service was a mix of music, beautiful eulogies given by the pastor (his cousin and a former co-worker of mine) and his younger brother, and stories we all shared about this unique human being.

The attendance at his service showed how much Kevin was loved and admired. Everyone including his wife, family, former co-workers at CSX, his former high school band director, and various friends he had made over his 60 years on this planet were there to show their love for this modern day “Renaissance Man”. Needless to say, it warmed my heart to see all those folks there paying tribute to our beloved Kevin.

Oh, I almost forgot to mention that he was an electronics whiz who earned his ham radio license. As a fellow ham, I remember the day he called me to let me know that he earned his “ticket” (ham radio license). He upgraded all the way to the highest ham radio privilege level “Extra”. To earn such level, it requires in-depth knowledge of not only electronics, but also Morse Code (“CW”). He excelled in both and was so proud to be a ham (among other things).

I wish I could’ve hung out with him one more time, but I know that one day, we’ll be together in that place where there is no pain or sorrow. In the meantime, I urge you not to take your friends or family for granted, for you never know when their (or your) time on Earth will end. Social media will never, ever take the place of face-to-face contact. Make time for family and friends. Let them know how much you love and appreciate them while they (and you) are still here.

Last, but not least, here’s a song from one of Kevin’s favorite musicians, the late great Chuck Mangione. Chuck wasn’t just the “Feels So Good” guy from King of the Hill. He was a talented flugelhorn player who had amassed a catalog of great jazz music. Here’s one of the songs that was played at Kevin’s service:

I bet Kevin and Chuck are jamming together in Heaven and could only imagine what they’d be discussing. If he’s not jamming with Chuck, he’s driving the train on Heaven’s tracks with a clear signal. Perhaps he met Casey Jones. Maybe he’s chatting with our founding fathers or maybe he’s chatting with Julia Ward Howe, the writer of “Battle Hymn of the Republic”, one of his favorite songs. No matter what, I am comforted knowing that Kevin is in a much better place.

Thanks for reading and until next time…

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