LEONARD BELL Jr.

Buddy was always somebody special. I like his philosophy of life and wish I'd been in closer contact in recent years. He was always imaginative. Back in the 1930s he would give me an umbrella and we would parachute from the wall onto his front porch in Berryville. If he snagged a hole in his trousers, that was OK. They were "air-cooled pants". He was amused at the name of his German professor when he was at Hampden-Sydney. The professor was called "Steingesicht" (stone face). I guess that was my introduction to German and correctly pronounced. When my brother Joe was just learning to talk, he watched Buddy slide down the bannisters. At the bottom Buddy hit one of Aunt Alice's little vases of flowers. It fell and broke. How delighted I was when Buddy turned to Joe and said seriously, "Aw, you broke it." Joe ran to Aunt Alice and tried to explain to Aunt Alice what really had happened. Alas, she tried to understand. but then just reassured him, "That's all right, Joe. It doesn't matter." This only made Joe try harder and harder to explain, while the rest of us were delighted. Undoubtedly this spurred Joe on to acquire his later eloquence. All I can say is that from my point of view Buddy was always a joy. We are all very lucky to have been in the family with him. Herman

Buddy was always somebody special. I like his philosophy of life and wish I'd been in closer contact in recent years. He was always imaginative. Back in the 1930s he would give me an umbrella and we would parachute from the wall onto his front porch in Berryville. If he snagged a hole in his trousers, that was OK. They were "air-cooled pants". He was amused at the name of his German professor when he was at Hampden-Sydney. The professor was called "Steingesicht" (stone face). I guess that was my introduction to German and correctly pronounced. When my brother Joe was just learning to talk, he watched Buddy slide down the bannisters. At the bottom Buddy hit one of Aunt Alice's little vases of flowers. It fell and broke. How delighted I was when Buddy turned to Joe and said seriously, "Aw, you broke it." Joe ran to Aunt Alice and tried to explain to Aunt Alice what really had happened. Alas, she tried to understand. but then just reassured him, "That's all right, Joe. It doesn't matter." This only made Joe try harder and harder to explain, while the rest of us were delighted. Undoubtled this spurred Joe on to acquire his later eloquence. All I can say is that from my point of view Buddy was always a joy. We are all very lucky to have been in the family with him. Herman

We were so sorry to hear of your loss. The thoughts of many are with you at this time of sorrow. Take comfort in the words of Isaiah 25:8, 9