Mr Edinger

Last Saturday (June 14th), I learned that my good friend, Larry Edinger, Sr, (age 69) had passed away in Erie, PA.
It wasn't a total surprise because an aneurysm had left Mr Edinger in a comma for about a week.
It was, however, sad, parting (for a time) with a dear friend.

Mr Edinger was not just a great friend, but an even-greater man.
He was a dedicated Christian, a devoted husband, father and family man.

He and his wife (Angela) and son (Larry Jr) had moved to Lexington, KY, from Erie in the 1970s.
Larry worked as Executive Sales Manager for the Blood-Horse Publications here in town.

I got to know them as they were faithful members at Gardenside Christian Church (Lexington, KY).
Larry Jr and I were good friends, too, in the church youth group.

And while I would come over to Larry Jr's house to hang out with him, I usually found myself talking with Larry Sr most of the time.
We shared a lot in common: a love of the Lord and a passion for sports (especially baseball).

I loved stopping by the Edinger's house. We would sit on the front porch and talk for hours about everything.

Even as I got older, I still stopped in to talk. Over a period of 15 years (1986-2001), we shared a lot of life experience together. These times saw me graduate high school, decide on a college, graduate college, choose a career, leave that career, answer a call to full-time ministry, get married and become a father.

A lot of the preparation for life came from the time spent on the Edinger's front porch.

I THANK God he always had the time to listen and visit. It blessed me beyond measure.

Mr Edinger retired from the Blood-Horse in 1991.
He continued to stay active at Gardenside Christian Church, teaching bible school classes as well as helping with missions and evangelism and outreach.

I know specifically of people who got back into the church and renewed their walk with the Lord simply because Larry and Angela made a call on their home and invited them to church.

In 1995, Angela was diagnosed with dementia in 1995. As Angela declined, Larry Sr and Angela decided to move back to Erie, PA, in 2001, to be closer to family.

Over the next few years, we would call each other on the phone once every 2-3 months. We'd catch up on the University of KY athletics. He would have his time to talk about his team (the Cleveland Indians) and then I'd talk about mine (the Cincinnati Reds).
If he wanted to kid me, he would refer to them as the "Little Red Wagon" and not the "Big Red Machine."

My family were on vacation last August (2007) and stopped into see he and Angela at their home Erie.
I had not seen them since they moved away from Lexington in 2001.
I was not shocked to see that Angela's health had gotten worse. She had outlived most all of the doctor's predictions. I was, however, surprised by Mr Edinger's health.
It was obvious his health had slipped a little from being the caregiver.
Angela lived for 12 years with the disease. Larry Sr was a devoted caregiver and stayed right there with his lovely wife until her death this past October (2007).
There was never a hint of remorse or frustration with Mr Edinger. He loved taking care of Angela and wanted nothing more than to do that very thing as long as he could.
I think it is what it means when the scriptures say, "husbands love your wives as Christ loved the church."

Mr Edinger leaves behind a great family who will miss him tremendously.
I know you guys know it, but you had a great father, grandfather, uncle, etc.
I was proud to call him friend and was blessed because of his life.

I do not know exactly what Heaven will be like.
The more I think about it, though, I think some of the times spent with Mr Edinger were like a little slice of it.
If there is a front porch somewhere in Heaven with chairs, a nice breeze and a baseball game in the background, Mr Edinger will be there.
And I can't wait to sit right down, join him and catch up on things.

Let me say THANKS & God bless you one more time, Mr Edinger.
I hope to encourage and mentor a younger man some day like you encouraged and mentored me.

-- Greg H