It's the mark of a great man to have such an outpouring on his death. I certainly learned a lot from watching him and keeping up with his work on his camp/farm. Wish I'd taken the time to make more trips to see him when I lived in Carolina.

Larke was a Mason and one of the biggest lessons they teach you is to take seriously the fact that you will die. It is a fact, and one that you should accept and internalize not dismiss or ignore. You may have time to reflect on your life with joy or regrets at the end, but you may not. You have to think about what legacy you want to leave way ahead of time in order to make it a reality. I'd guess that you'd be hard pressed to find someone who took that to heart more than he did.

It is humbling to me to be around someone like that. I remember being at the wake/funeral of my father (also a Mason). I was surrounded by hundreds of people who all had a story of how he helped them get a job or a union card or dig their basement or build their house or their driveway or whatever. People who told me he changed their life and for the better.

Sleep well brother. Your block has been measured and found to be straight and on the level.

Will