Joel’s ‘little’ brother towered over him as evidenced by the family picture in the center of his plate. That loving goodbye, a family group hug, was the last time we were all together, wishing him well for his drive back home to Chicago. And now the tree that is planted in our backyard, also tall and thin, reminds us every day of our little bro.
Kurt had a warm, sensitive heart. He adored and protected his mother, looked up to his older siblings, and showered his nieces and nephews with his undivided attention. They all have great memories of him “playing whatever we wanted to play” whether it be German spotlight, wrestling, or sledding down the backyard drop onto the frozen river. And they remember his big grin, laughing with them and laughing at his own goofy jokes.
He was a creative genius. The placemat is a copy of one of a gazillion pieces of art he left behind in all kinds of media and styles. Most everyone, especially the kids, remember him with pencil and paper in hand and a lap desk in place so he could continually practice sketching, mastering his craft.
The little cup at his place setting is one he used as a little boy and one that is now used every day by his niece, Alexandra. Kurt had a few worries as a little guy. His older sibs remember him being charged with going into the basement to get the tub of ice cream for dessert after family dinners. Just in case the boogey man got him en route, he’d sing church hymns loudly the whole way. That way if he stopped singing, they knew to come save him.
And the little monk salt and pepper shakers…those are at his place setting turned around because that’s how he liked them. Their little beady eyes were a bit too scary.
A soft-hearted, fun-loving, genius. That’s how we remember our brother, uncle, son – Kurt.
