Frank Meredith Walker Jr.

Today is Frank's 60th birthday and I wish he was here to celebrate it. I've missed him a lot lately. Recently, I met someone that knew him and he told me how much he admired him. He said he remembered watching Frank during meetings and he's never forgotten some of the things that he said. He told me that he still quotes Frank sometimes. And as he spoke about him it made me so happy and proud to be able to say that he's my brother. He had integrity and was respected by the people that worked with him.

He was one of the most generous people I've ever known. He wanted everyone around him to be happy and he had the most tender heart. His sense of humor was fantastic and he was extremely smart. But my favorite thing about him and the thing I've missed lately is his whistling. He whistled all the time. I remember many times knowing that he'd arrived before I saw him because I could hear him whistling as he came. It's the most lovely memory.

He was kind and he was a gentleman at a very early age.

But there's one more story to tell today. I'll never forget speaking to one particular man at Frank's visitation. I could tell he was dressed as a waiter when he arrived and he stood far off from the front and so I walked up to him and asked if he had known Frank well. He just stood there with the slightest smile on his face as he stared at Frank and he said these words I'll never forget, "That man was my friend." Frank didn't care if you were a millionaire or a window washer or a waiter that he'd met at a restaurant. He was genuinely kind to everyone.

He was a gem in our family. And if you didn't grow up with him as your oldest sibling, then you could never know the impact he made on all of us as a brother. He was a delight. He was kind. He was and still is my beloved brother that moved to heaven a lot sooner than anyone would have wished. And although I wish he were still here, I'm glad to know he's happy in heaven. Heaven's definitely getting sweeter with every new inhabitant from our family.

Happy Birthday brother