Hey man ..... you rule. Eager reading, and really glad you wouldn't miss the event, and sharing with us. What a guy ..... Bob Kessler cool breeze, everywhere, and forever. The seasoning of the HAMB, this site, and the people sharing adventure .... is savory, because of you, and men like him. Two of a kind. Thank you sirs.
"Funerals are for the living, not the dead." Absolutely true. When each of my parents died, they were bittersweet moments. My father, I had very mixed emotions about his death. An alcoholic until he could no longer drive to the liquor store or tavern, there were some rough times while I was growing up. But in spite of that, he did always provide for us, did his best as a father, and was one of the two smartest men I ever met. While he certainly had his flaws, I still loved and respected him. I inherited a lot from him, but still wish I had got all of his brains.... He went quickly, from a stroke. My mother was both harder and easier. Harder because she was the anchor that kept my childhood on track (well, mostly... LOL), always willing to help me when life gave me a kick, and tell me to get my head out of my ass when I needed that (I still think about how much BS I could have avoided if I had always listened to her... damn!) Easier because she ended up suffering from Parkinson's and dementia that stole her life and mind slowly. It was a relief to see her released from that. My sister and I didn't do formal funerals as both were cremated, but we did have 'Celebrations of Life'. The hole that's left when you realize you'll never see them again seems gigantic. But then friends, co-workers, relatives start regaling you with stories... and those stories can add dimensions to them that you maybe didn't realize were there. Those start filling that hole, and while it may never go away, it helps. And Ryan, the guilt is natural if unwarranted. You're still young, you probably haven't had to deal with death that much yet. But as you get older, you come to more fully understand that it's a part of life and seeing a life well-lived is in itself a joyous thing. While I didn't know Bob other than the little I saw here, I can only admire his 'going out in style' arrangements. Bravo Bob, and best wishes to his family....
Kind of a unique departure and yeah some people in life and death are incredibly organized. Thats not being negative just a observation. Another Veteran Hamber that is no longer here due to that dredded disease also left in a very calculated organised manner. Both complete with emotion but I would say not average. Anyways it was a departing but also a celebration of life...exactly what you all did including so many here. Thanks for sharing the intimacy of Hamber Bob K's service. May he travel to a different tune however he pleases in the spirit he had here for ever and ever.
So well written, Ryan. I completely understand the twinge of guilt when we start smiling or even laughing at one of the memories from the time we spent with a loved one. The guilt passes quickly though when we realize that they are likely laughing right along with us. When they enjoyed life the way Bob did, they expect us to carry on the tradition.
Thanks for sharing this moment with us. Did you hear some snickering while you all were trying to open the trunk?! I believe Bob succeeded in the style of his departure and you played a large part in it.
Ryan I would bet that Bob would rather have you drinking beers and having a few laughs in his honor than a bunch of sorrow and long faces. Being Irish we have what we refer to as wakes after the funeral and I remember we had a wake to remember after my paternal grandfather died. I had a couple of my friends stop by to pay their respects walking in with long faces until they saw the party we were having. They were shocked until I told them he was gone and now we celebrate his life and he would appreciate our laughter much more than tears. These days many of us HAMBers are getting to that age where funerals are a common deal. I hope I get to laugh at old memories rather than the opposite.
Thanks Ryan. I only met Bob once, but what a nice guy. Personally, I hate funerals....I'm not even going to my own. I've instructed my son to throw a big party instead. Loud rock&roll, food, drinks, a real blowout. Take my hotrod out and burn the tires off, and think of all the good times.
RIP Bob, you were one of the most unique folks I've known. Reading this reminded me of the funeral of my old Harley riding buddy, Jonesy. He died a slow death from esophageal cancer, and also spent quite a bit of time planning his celebration. He asked me to finish up a pair of 1972 Chevy short bed pickups and sell them for his wife, and also told me that after he was gone his Harley was mine. He was very involved in scouting and competition BBQ, and the celebration he had planned included honoring both of those. There were two long tables that held an incredible number of BBQ trophies, aprons, scouting paraphernalia, pins, buttons, belts, etc. with instructions that you could take any of these souvenirs you wanted to remember him. One of the adornments in his casket was a Harley key fob hanging from his front pants pocket. Jonesey was a practical joker, and we were constantly trying to one-up each other. That key fob was attached to the only key that he had for his Harley. It is still in that pocket, and I believe he knew full well that I would realize that he got the last laugh.
It was an honor to attend. I had a few tears roll down my cheek, but didn't feel one bit guilty for hanging out and enjoying the time with friends while celebrating Bob. I did feel a bit guilty packing a cooler for a funeral, but hey it was the right thing to do, and there was none in the trunk of the Chevy when we finally got it open. For me the day involved driving 564mi in my Model A, with a lot of time to ponder what Bob meant to me personally and how I was going to continue his legacy and honor his memory. The drive was more calming and peaceful than I expected it to be, my little truck is truly my sanctuary. My new mantra is "What would BobK do?" When I have a bad day or need a boost I am going to say "What would BobK do?" and I expect to have two new friends before the end of the day and a better perspective on life, if I do it right. Godspeed my friend.
Sounds like having never met the man I've missed out on a life time opportunity. I've known two men like this, genuine wonderful guys who made a friend with everyone they met. Men whose example made me a better man , even though I fall short of their principles and actions. R.I.P., Bob. Sent from my LG-TP450 using The H.A.M.B. mobile app
We would all be so lucky to have such an awesome car show at our funerals! Bob's a lucky guy to have friends show up from every which way to celebrate his life. Rest in peace, Bob K!
As many times as Cob and I have bumped heads I couldn't agree more,Everyone that was able to attend the funeral for Bob was celebrating his life & his legacy and fulfilling his request. Funerals,are always heart wrenching but it seems Bob was thinking about his family & friends and planned to make it as painless as possible. Next time your out with friends,raise a glass and toast BB, he lived life on his own terms and was the kind of man we all should try to emulate. HRP
My family is in the funeral business in Omaha and all my life we have had happy funerals. It's for the living, but it's also a sendoff for the deceased. When my stepfather died, it was probably the hardest thing I've gone through to date. But on the day of the funeral, it seemed that every car dealer and collector in Omaha was there. My stepfather wanted his best friend and I to do his eulogy and I even amazed myself, as I didn't cry and I had everybody laughing. Tim, my stepfather, was a funny guy and that's what he wanted. My grandfather, a lifelong funeral director, told me that a funeral should reflect the life of the person and that people should leave the service feeling better than when they arrived. And after reading about Bob's adventures over the years and the stories about him since his passing, I tend to think that he would agree...... R.I.P. Bob
Sometimes, there are people who make a mark in this world and are never forgotten, not for what they've done, but more for who they were. May 18, 1983 was disaster for me, one of a few dates burned in my mind, hell, I don't remember my kids birthdays, but my stepdad died that day, having breakfast with my sister. I had to help the coroners assistant load him on the gurney to get him out of the house. His friends were shocked, he was 53, I was shocked, he was the iron man, never to die, truly one of the greatest men ever walked the earth, all these years later, still missed, the funeral hall was overflowed, he still gets talked about. I will miss him till I die. Bob K was one of those, people who command respect and spend their lives earning it, rest in peace pal, knowing you made your mark.
I spent a few nights thinking about this. I did it while drawing up this little bob gnome that I think I’ll make into a sticker. Any how, his words about no sad shit repeated in my head and as it became to make the call weather or not the drive north was happening I decided, for me, it was going to be too sad. So instead I started planing a road trip to the drags in my old ford with my family, to see my other family. Seeing photos pop up online captioned “the sadest place on earth” as people arrived to the funeral I knew it was the right call for me. I’m happy that for those that attended that the tide turned and some smiles were had. We’ve got a lot of the season left, let’s make the best of it for Bob and put a ton of miles and smiles on. Drive to the hamb drags and find me and I’ll give you a sticker
The Jalopy Journal
