Brian's Eulogy to his Dad, spoken at the "Celebration of Life"
gathering held Dec 10, 2011 on Bruce Luzader's 84th Birthday.
Half a century ago, my
sister Becky and I rode our bikes around the block,
where we ran into those “Mean Denovo Boys.”
where we ran into those “Mean Denovo Boys.”
They chased us down and yanked our
bikes to a halt…
then drenched our little
faces with squirt guns.
Crying and humiliated we rode
home to our Dad,
who we knew,would help us fight back, and defend our Honor.
who we knew,would help us fight back, and defend our Honor.
We told Dad of the horrific
crimes against us, the water fight we didn’t even start and our quest for
justice.
After pleading our case,
we waited wide-eyed and anxious,
for the punishment those Denovo Boys would face.
for the punishment those Denovo Boys would face.
But Gentle, and Wise Dad,
who lacked a quest for retaliation and was slow to anger…instead…
Pulled a couple of bucks from his wallet?
He said “Now…listen to me,
Go back around the block, and invite those Denovo boys out for ice
cream.”
We were stunned by his
verdict (WHAT?) the punishment, didn’t even fit the crime?
But, seeing there was enough money for us to have ice cream too, we peddled back to tell the ‘Bad Brothers’ that after such a hard day of water wars, Dad wanted us… to take them… out for cones.
From that day forward, the
Denovo boys became our friends and allies.
Our Dad should have been
the neighborhood Secretary of State. 
Dad saw, only the good in people he met and returned that back to them.
He mirrored their best qualities,
so that he left a person
feeling BETTER, than he found them.
I always felt so connected
to him, through his yearning to explore. Whether it was the newest ‘technology of the times’, the top of a mountain, or an abandoned lighthouse, I was there, eager to be by his side.
In his makeshift closet,
he taught himself Morse code on an old ham radio.
He learned to fly, and took me on balloon, helicopter and plane rides.
Being next to him was always an adventure.
He learned to fly, and took me on balloon, helicopter and plane rides.
Being next to him was always an adventure.
He took up boating, then restored
and created a commercial fishing boat that we operated, just for family fun.
He saved for a beach house
where our family spent the summers making priceless memories together.
He let me be a part of them... Which I now believe, has made me the person I am today.
(even when I made those lousy mistakes in my youth),
Later, as I aged while on
a quest to set and find my own goals,
he opened his profession
and business to me.When I had children, he embraced them with the same love, he had given me.
And now that he has left his 'Aged Vessel';
the one that had slowed him down for so many years, he can voyage to a place we still … in our minds… cannot fathom.
"So, my Dear Dad… Today, on your Birthday,
I thank You, for
giving me life and happiness...
from the brightest light
of your charisma."I believe that in some way…we will all rendezvous together in an amazing place.
-Brian Luzader 12-10-2011
Ashley's Thank you Letter to her Grandfather
Thank you for giving me my first bath.
Thank you for letting me paint your face with water colors.
Thank you for letting me build and glue wood in your shop.
Thank you for making chicken pox fun.
Thank you for taking me clamming and on motorcycle rides.
Thank you for playing with me in the hot tub.
Thank you for letting me travel with you, and
taking me on trips and showing me new things.
Thank you for letting me dig through your penny collection and
teaching me how to use chopsticks.
Thank you for teaching me fractions on grandma's lemons.
Thank you for feeding me when I needed it.
Thank you for taking a day to teach me how to drive,
then driving us home even though I passed my test.Thank you for comforting me when I was scared.
Thank you for being the Best Grandpa anyone could ever need and want.
-Ashley Luzader
