Shelly Dobransky
DEAR UNCLE JOHN WAS MY BELOVED MOM'S SECOND-OLDEST BROTHER. INVARIABLY JOLLY, EXTREMELY HARD-WORKING, AND PLAYFULLY DEVILISH, UNCLE JOHN WAS EQUALLY KIND-HEARTED. HE WAS ALWAYS WILLING TO HELP THOSE IN NEED AND OFFER A KIND WORD. I HAVE SO MANY FOND MEMORIES.
GIVEN AN HONORARY, JUNIOR SECOND-MATE'S POSITION EVERY SPRING DURING MY YOUTH, I "HELPED" UNCLE JOHN AND MY DAD PREPARE THE "LONG SHOT," MY UNCLE'S TREASURED CABIN CRUISER, FOR THE SEASON. THEY HAPPILY TOILED FROM DAWN TO DUSK AS THEIR SCHEDULES ALLOWED -- SANDING, VARNISHING, PAINTING, AND BRAIDING/SPLICING TIE-OFF ROPES (MY DAD'S SPECIALTY), WHILE LISTENING TO EDDY ARNOLD AND DEAN MARTIN.
HOW I LOVED OUR EXCURSIONS TO PELEE ISLAND (CANADA), OHIO'S KELLEYS ISLAND, AND MANY SURROUNDING POINTS. (THANKS TO UNCLE JOHN, MY DAD STILL HAD HIS DEEP CONNECTION TO NAUTICAL LIFE.)
ONCE DOCKED, MY AUNT DELORES (UNCLE JOHN'S WIFE), MY MOM, AND MY GRANDMA WOULD START PREPARING FOR MEALS, FEATURING THE CATCH OF THE DAY. MANY FISH FRIES, CLAM BAKES, AND LATE-FALL PIG ROASTS WERE ENJOYED. THOSE WERE THE DAYS. . .
AS A MEMBER OF A MULTI-GENERATIONAL FARMING FAMILY, UNCLE JOHN'S GREEN THUMB PRODUCED MANY ABUNDANT CROPS. AFTER THE HARVEST, CANNING WAS QUICKLY UNDERWAY. HE MADE AN INCREDIBLY DELECTABLE SWEET TOMATO AND HOT PEPPER RELISH, WHICH I STILL CRAVE. I TRIED TO ENCOURAGE HIM TO MARKET IT. IN RESPONSE, HE LAUGHED IN A MOST DISTINCTIVE MANNER, MURMURING, "NO."
IT SADDENS ME GREATLY THAT I WILL NEVER HEAR HIS INFECTIOUS LAUGH AGAIN. BUT, I AM MOST GRATEFUL THAT WE HAVE SO MANY FOND, PRECIOUS MEMORIES. REST IN ETERNAL PEACE, DEAR UNCLE JOHN. YOU ARE VERY MUCH LOVED AND SORELY MISSED. XOXO
[THIS IS THE LAST PHOTO OF MY MOM WITH UNCLE JOHN AND THEIR BROTHER, BOB. IT WAS TAKEN TWO MONTHS BEFORE HER PASSING IN DECEMBER 1995.]
