I just found out from yesterday's mail
that one of my long time business partners
(about 45 years)
has passed on.

He was in his early 90's,
and had only just recently been forced
to go into a retirement home
by his immediate family
(against my will,
and his, 
I should say).

So, I have had limited contact,
during the past two years,
where we used to meet once a month
in Los Angeles,
and have lunch together every month, 
for the past 35 years.

He died on,

YOU GUESSED IT,

Friday, July 13, 2012.

He died in his sleep, peacefully.

How appropriate.

And what an answer to prayer.

God be praised.

He was a strong
and devout
believer.

And a man far above reproach,

who spent his entire life,
during the years that I knew him,
serving God
with his whole heart,
every hour of every day.

He was a wonderful mentor.

We managed to fortify one another's
faith in this very wicked world
while conducting large business operations
with morality never being forgotten or set aside
for expediency.

That is just not how we do business,
I was told over and over throughout my life.

He had no "assurance" of salvation.

That is,
until I spent many hours
sharing various
scripture studies with him,
which I had made,
and had printed
just for him,
because his lack of peace
and assurance was simply
unacceptable to me,
(a person who knows far better than that),
for a man so devoted
as he was.

And I know and knew
him well enough
to know that
"inwardly",
was 
the primary motivating force of
 "outwardly".

i.e. he was living what he really did believe.

What an honor
and privilege it has been,
Paul.

We love you dearly

And we will miss you badly.

Thank you for how much
you did for me and my family,
for four generations,
no less,
or is it five?

I simply would not be
where I am today,
materially and spiritually
without your support,
guidance,
and mentoring,
and the very fine example
which you set before me
for my consideration.

Your fruits abound.

Your faith was alive and well
and very visible to all.

You have most assuredly
left your little part of the world
far better than when you arrived.

I will NEVER FORGET
how you gave your entire life up
for your wife
when she was wheel-chair-bound
with crippling
and very debilitating
and extremely painful
bone degeneration.

You were unbelievably exahausted
and putting on tens of years in aging
right before my eyes.

You stopped EVERYTHING
to do what we both knew was the right thing,
after we discussed it
at length on numerous occasions.

And that at great cost to you.

What a champion you were and are.

And who can forget those great dinners
at Tom O Shanters every year
on my dad's birthday.

You guys were great fun to be with.

I love you very much,
and will miss you very much.

w/ the greatest respect and admiration.

Vincente E. Woodward, Esq.

in no small measure due to you, Paul.

I am sure you never forgot
the day you and I looked up Esq
to see what in the world it meant.

We both thought that it was the guy
who brushes down the horses
(a squire?).

We had to laugh long,
loud,
and hard
when we found out that it is me!,
who has never brushed down a horse in his life.

You shined in a world where most do not.

I know that the great cloud of witnesses
spoken of in Hebrews chapter 11
has just become greater.

Knowing that you and other loved ones
of mine are watching closely,
I will try hard to live up to
what I know you would have me to do.

I know that you know
that you can count on that.

As you did, in person,
for so many years.

vw et al

7-31-12

Ventura, California, USA