Some Thoughts on My Uncle Harry

I honestly cannot believe that I am standing here today about to read the obituary of my uncle Harry. Here goes...

He was a man that made an impact on my life, helping to shape me into the man I am today. My uncle Harry was one of the few members of my family, maybe the only one, that enjoyed the humor of watching Jim Varney portray Ernest P. Worrell. For the record I looked it up and the official Ernest P. Worrell fan-site, yes there is such a thing, says the P. stands for “Power Tools”. If that doesn’t fit my uncle Harry, I don’t know what does, “Know what I mean Vern?”

I’m pleased to say today that Harry didn’t spend all his time watching funny movies, he also read, a lot. Because of this he was among the most intelligent and insightful men I have ever known. His favorite book to read was of course the Bible. He knew the Scriptures, had served as a Sunday School teacher and a deacon. Because of this he was a wise man in our family, able to dispense advice and answer almost any question asked.

Harry was a man of many talents as well. I am not much of a musician, but I can honestly say that any ability I have in music I can attribute to two of my uncles, Joey Trogdon, and Harry Kidd. It was Harry that taught me not only how to play the bass, but also he showed me how to play any song out there, just by knowing what key it was in.

One of the biggest impacts he made on my life however was this, he is responsible for my name for my aunt Karen. In my forty years I can count on one hand the total number of times I’ve called her Karen ( and never to her face). To me she has always been “Honey”. Last week as we were leaving her house one of my daughters asked me, “Why do you call her Honey?” The reason is simple, when I was younger I spent every chance I had with them. Growing up Harry always called her “honey” and I adapted that as my name for her.

There’s another lesson Harry taught me, albeit unknowingly, that is how to treat your wife. Of all the names he could have called her, he chose one that revealed his sweet side. His love for his family was deep and strong. He truly loved each of you with all his strength, and I am convinced that he fought this battle as long as he did, not for himself, he unashamedly knew where he was going, but for you. He wanted to be here with you as long as he possibly could.

When I was told of his death and asked if I would speak at his funeral a verse immediately came to mind that, if it doesn’t summarize the life of my uncle Harry, I don’t know what does. The verse is 1 Cor. 16:13

1 Corinthians 16:13 KJV 1900

13 Watch ye, stand fast in the faith, quit you like men, be strong.

This verse at the end of 1 Corinthians, was a charge and a challenge to the me in the Corinthian church to be vigilant, watching (be awake, alert) for their families because the devil was seeking to ruin them, and to be alert because Jesus was coming soon and men had the responsibility to warn and teach and to lead their families. For this reason Harry prayed for his family faithfully, witnessed to them regularly, and served God earnestly.

To stand fast means to hold your ground. Harry was a man that would not back down from any fight worth fighting. To quit like men means to be courageous. Harry was one of the most courageous men I’d ever met in my life. He was, as Paul encouraged the Corinthians, strong.

There is more I could say today about my uncle Harry, but out of respect for your time I will summarize it by saying this: My life today is better for having had Harry Kidd in it.