My Uncle

My Uncle Victor’s Celebration of Life is today, June 12th, his 73rd birthday. Because of COVID, we could not have a proper memorial service when he passed in December. Besides, a birthday celebration is more fitting for him.

My Uncle Victor (pronounced /vik’tuh/) was my dad’s youngest sibling and only brother. Fifteen years separated their lives. Although they were raised in the same house, fifteen years proved to be a substantial variable.

Bill had a soft-spoken nature. Victor had a booming presence and laughed out loud and often. Bill went to college and assimilated his Brooklyn lilt to a Long Island dialect. Victor found school frustrating and held on to his Brooklyn-ese despite his 40-plus years residency in the same Long Island town as his brother. Bill preferred opera and played classical piano.  Victor knew all the words to Rock-n-Roll songs and sang with the radio or his 45s. Bill tackled fix-it problems with frugal perseverance. Victor just tackled. The brothers could not have been more different, yet the love and core of their brotherhood remained steadfast throughout their lives.  

Both Bill and Victor proudly identified themselves as family men. They adored their wives—women they grew up with and loved throughout their lives. Family and home were always the priority. The men nurtured and took active roles in raising their children. They were true daddys and the favorite uncles. How incredibly blessed we—my siblings, cousins, and their grandchildren, to have had these men in our lives. 

Friends constantly surrounded Uncle Victor. Aunt Linda, his glamorous sweetheart from the neighborhood, stood out, like a blonde Ginger in the clutch of Marianns. Uncle Victor and his gang rode around in convertible cars and a very sleek Century boat my dad put together for him.  He frequently belted out Rock-n-Roll songs. 

No one could weave a story like my uncle. Uncle Victor kept his Brooklyn dialect heavy and distinct.  The old neighborhood persona served him well as a gifted storyteller.  He latched onto character traits and took witty strolls through an event. It did not matter how extraordinary or mundane the situation was, he found humorous twists and insights. His stories were often interrupted by his audience bursting with laughter and ended with nods of truth-be-told revelations. He came off as a big tough guy, but in truth, everyone who knew him and anyone who met him saw that he was a sweet and gentle man with a giant loving heart.

 Be kind. Be safe.

Have a great week, Everyone. Make it funtastic.

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