Today is my Dad’s birthday. James Cameron McRae was born in Wolf Springs, Montana and moved with his family to San Juan Island in 1927. My Dad loved the Scottish poet Robert Burns, because of that, and because the poem fits him so well, I like to remember him with this Epitath by Burns.
Jim McRae at the BarnacleOn My Ever Honoured Father
O ye whose cheek the tear of pity stains,
Draw near with pious rev'rence, and attend!
Here lie the loving husband's dear remains,
The tender father, and the gen'rous friend;
The pitying heart that felt for human woe,
The dauntless heart that fear'd no human pride;
The friend of man-to vice alone a foe;
For 'ev'n his failings lean'd to virtue's side.
Robert Burns ~ 1784
PSM: Your father sounds like an interesting man. You should write moe about him. The rest of your family as well. Your readers would be interested.
ReplyDeletesandy
Thank you Sandy I will do that.
ReplyDeletePeggy,
ReplyDeleteI am your cousin -- Sharon, daughter of your father's sister, Janet. I grew up in Montana (Libby) as the oldest of six, left, got my B.A., a M. Ed. from U.W, travelled a lot, and now live & teach in CA. I'd love to hear from you. Sharon Livny
p.s. I remember my mother talking about her favorite brother, Jim. That's your Dad. We may have met at the Family Reunion in Seattle (Aunt Lily was still alive) in ?? 1997/8?, but we didn't get a chance to talk much. (I think I heard you or your sister -- ?? Sally?? -- on NPR's CarTalk once).