Monday, August 10, 2020

A good man


A GOOD MAN


I am here to discuss the life of a man that reinvented himself again and again. I first met him in middle school. He was afraid of everything he had a strong aversion to conflict of any kind, that bit him for most of his life. His mother scolded him and told him under no circumstances to fight with anyone. However, he looked up to his father that encouraged him to stand up for himself. I remember the day that it all changed.  His father, Eugene, was at home recovering from an injury he received from work. His dad observed him in a dead run, being pursued by three neighborhood kids. Turning into the driveway and to the porch, Manny saw his father and was stopped by him. His dad stood and said, “Son, if you keep running now, you will run for the rest of your life. Manny told his dad, “mom said if I get into fights, I would be in trouble.” His father said, “Son, if you are not in trouble with me, then you are not in trouble.”   Manny turned and faced the three boys.  After a scuffle that took about 5 minutes, two of the boys were down, and his father pulled manny off the last boy. That was the last time that Manny had any trouble in his neighborhood.  As a young man, his father took extra shifts and paid his dormitory fees as he was the first of his children to go to university.
            Manny had trouble with womenfolk. That would haunt him for decades until he realized who he was in the universe and was satisfied with himself. The moment that he discovered that he did not need a relationship to complete him. He found that special woman that changed his life for the better. Now it took five marriages to figure it out, but he did find out.  Manny reinvented himself after his first relationship ended and left the country serving in the United States Air Force for 20 years as a Generator Mechanic.
Manny reinvented himself after retirement by becoming a Computer Technician, going back to college. Finally, finishing at age 51, he started a new career as a Computer Technician at the New Mexico School for the Blind and the Visually impaired.  He took to computer work like a duck to water.  His commitment to being of service to his users and his deskside manner was instrumental in making the users comfortable with the constant changes in technology.  He then became a Help Desk technician working for The United States Air Force and brought his calm demeanor to his new job, making friends that he maintained until his passing.  The then went to work for the US ARMY at William Beaumont Army Medical Center as a systems administrator. That work though unusual, was not what he was cut out for as his concern for the user base took a back seat to the demands of the multiple systems for which he was responsible. At his best would take care of his users and their requirements, balancing that with the high tempo of Medical IT. After 18 years as a civil servant.  He answered the call of his family for leadership. Three of his grandchildren and their mother were alone in and needed some additional help as the young men were growing up without adult male supervision in a new city, Columbus OH.  Manny took this opportunity to return to his first love user support as he retired from civil service, taking a job as a Desktop Technician at the Sun Behavioral Health Facility in Columbus, OH.  He made an immediate impression with his experience in networking, system administration, and user support.  He was poised to do great things when illness took him from us. He will be remembered as one of the good guys quick with a word of encouragement. He leaves behind a wife ten grandchildren and a multitude of people that were touched by his presence.    As a person of faith (though flawed), he recognized his need for power outside of himself. As a person that tried to do his best,  immediately make amends when en he was in error I believe he has heard these words. “well, done my good and faithful servant welcome into the .joy of the lord…. Well done, Manny Well done, you and your spirit will not quickly be forgotten.
             

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