Saturday, January 2, 2021
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Sadly, I only met him a handful of times, really - living away from Cincinnati, he was by far the uncle I knew the least. But every time I did see him, I was struck by how gentle and kind his demeanor was.
Maybe I recognized it more vividly because he was mostly a mystery that I would only occasionally get a glimpse of at family gatherings. It was that kind of warm feeling you hope that others get from you. And as I tried to understand this enigmatic uncle with the limited knowledge our encounters afforded me, I felt like I understood how he could have such a strong kinship with horses; and they with him, since they would surely sniff out whether or not he was really trustworthy, noble and good.
Surely his singular love and pursuit of what he was passionate about is something we all do well to emulate and cultivate in our own lives. Find what you love, tame it if you can, hold tightly to the reins and give yourself fully to the ride.
I'm sure he was very much a human with foibles and faults aplenty, but weighed in the scales all this tells me he really was a great man, as his obit says; and I'm saddened again at how little I knew him. But that's what I recall of Uncle Dave; and I hope that honors his memory. Prayers for and strength to all who are grieving his absence.
— Andrew Kassen (nephew)
