10
10
0
2018 October 6
Farewell my Friend
********************
As I stared down from the pulpit today; trying to speak through tears, finding strength from the faces of my family, friends, and brothers (in the standing room only crowd); I was amazed at the diversity of the lives, that Dick had touched. From battle hardened warriors, to the children in his church choir; the world is a lesser place without him in it.
I choked through the following words.... barely touching, the tip of our shared experiences.
I will miss you; "Captain" of our ski team, surrogate grandfather, mentor, Brother in Arms, and friend....
*******************************
What words do you use to memorialize a legend.....
.....and I say legend, because if you ever called Richard "Dick" Calvert a hero.... he would correct you, before you finished your sentence.
With a shake of his head..... he would say; "I'm no hero, you kids, fighting today.....you are the heroes". As the the young soldiers from the U.S. Army Fort Drum & 10th Mountain Division circled around him by the fire, pushing each other over, to hear his stories about, how it was, back in his day.
Dick was a legend, in the skiing community, not just because he was skiing at 94+ years old....But because he was still racing and winning national championships well into his 90's; making his final race run at 94-years young.
There is a YouTube video of Dick warming up, for the New England Ski Museum Hannes Schneider Meister Cup race, from a few years ago, back when he was 91; (https://youtu.be/hnp1hPn9bCw). That video was picked up by Unofficial Networks and went viral.... showing millions of people around the globe, Dick's love for skiing and proving that it is indeed, a lifelong sport.
The next year, when he was 92, the Associated Press; spread Dick's story about how he was still beating soldiers, 1/4 of his age.... and America learned his name.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/35h0a9k7eskbep8/10th%20Mountain%20Division%20Returns%20to%20the%20Slopes.mp4?dl=0
"People" carried that story
(https://people.com/sports/watch-92-year-old-wwii-veteran-still-competes-in-ski-races/)
And the The Washington Times as well.
https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/mar/11/wwii-skiers-turned-soldiers-meet-modern-servicemen/
The string of New England Masters Ski Racing Foundation & National Championship titles that he won; the piles of plates, cups, mugs and other hardware he walked away from every race with, filled closets, boxes and walls.....
The way that Dick talked trash to the junior soldiers every year, at the HSMC, telling them to sharpen their skis; and then he backed it up, the next day on the course, and beat most of those "kids" easily......
These Young soldiers would return to their units, be it the 10th or the Army Mountain Warfare School, or UNH ARMY ROTC; with stories of a geriatric, WWII veteran, who had escape from the nursing home, wore lycra suit and somehow kicked their butt.... year, after year, after year!
These little moments, in his 95+ years of life.... made him a legend in the ski world.....
And, now that he isn't here to correct me, or to get the last word, I can finally call him a hero.....without being corrected.
What made Dick a hero to me.....
Wasn't his service to our nation, tens of millions of us have done that....
Dick was a hero to me, for how he lived his life.
He lived his life with a SMILE. For everything he had seen, where he had been, what he had done... he wore a smile.... and he loved his wife and family.
He skied until the end..... but, he didn't only ski until the end..... He raced until the end.....still winning trophies and titles, in his last race.
He skied with not only his own children, but his grandchildren.... and great grandchildren, and the children of friends and boy scout troops, and veterans...and "Silver Streaks", and anyone who was willing to make a turn or two.
He was an amazing man from a different era...
74-years of marriage...... a number, I hope to never match... for my wife's sake.....it's hard enough for her to live with me at age 41... after 11-years; nevermind if I make it to 105..... she will push me in a lake....
May we all live a life as blessed as his Dick's and have a love, as deep, as his was for Milley
Dick, I know you are listening and watching today......
I ask that you please look down upon me, and everyone here today; and help us live our lives, half as well as you did.
Until we meet again.....
Climb to Glory!
***************************
#veteran #climbtoglory #respect #DAV #IAVA #skiing #USSA The Snow Report Show #psia #hero #WWII
Farewell my Friend
********************
As I stared down from the pulpit today; trying to speak through tears, finding strength from the faces of my family, friends, and brothers (in the standing room only crowd); I was amazed at the diversity of the lives, that Dick had touched. From battle hardened warriors, to the children in his church choir; the world is a lesser place without him in it.
I choked through the following words.... barely touching, the tip of our shared experiences.
I will miss you; "Captain" of our ski team, surrogate grandfather, mentor, Brother in Arms, and friend....
*******************************
What words do you use to memorialize a legend.....
.....and I say legend, because if you ever called Richard "Dick" Calvert a hero.... he would correct you, before you finished your sentence.
With a shake of his head..... he would say; "I'm no hero, you kids, fighting today.....you are the heroes". As the the young soldiers from the U.S. Army Fort Drum & 10th Mountain Division circled around him by the fire, pushing each other over, to hear his stories about, how it was, back in his day.
Dick was a legend, in the skiing community, not just because he was skiing at 94+ years old....But because he was still racing and winning national championships well into his 90's; making his final race run at 94-years young.
There is a YouTube video of Dick warming up, for the New England Ski Museum Hannes Schneider Meister Cup race, from a few years ago, back when he was 91; (https://youtu.be/hnp1hPn9bCw). That video was picked up by Unofficial Networks and went viral.... showing millions of people around the globe, Dick's love for skiing and proving that it is indeed, a lifelong sport.
The next year, when he was 92, the Associated Press; spread Dick's story about how he was still beating soldiers, 1/4 of his age.... and America learned his name.
https://www.dropbox.com/s/35h0a9k7eskbep8/10th%20Mountain%20Division%20Returns%20to%20the%20Slopes.mp4?dl=0
"People" carried that story
(https://people.com/sports/watch-92-year-old-wwii-veteran-still-competes-in-ski-races/)
And the The Washington Times as well.
https://m.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/mar/11/wwii-skiers-turned-soldiers-meet-modern-servicemen/
The string of New England Masters Ski Racing Foundation & National Championship titles that he won; the piles of plates, cups, mugs and other hardware he walked away from every race with, filled closets, boxes and walls.....
The way that Dick talked trash to the junior soldiers every year, at the HSMC, telling them to sharpen their skis; and then he backed it up, the next day on the course, and beat most of those "kids" easily......
These Young soldiers would return to their units, be it the 10th or the Army Mountain Warfare School, or UNH ARMY ROTC; with stories of a geriatric, WWII veteran, who had escape from the nursing home, wore lycra suit and somehow kicked their butt.... year, after year, after year!
These little moments, in his 95+ years of life.... made him a legend in the ski world.....
And, now that he isn't here to correct me, or to get the last word, I can finally call him a hero.....without being corrected.
What made Dick a hero to me.....
Wasn't his service to our nation, tens of millions of us have done that....
Dick was a hero to me, for how he lived his life.
He lived his life with a SMILE. For everything he had seen, where he had been, what he had done... he wore a smile.... and he loved his wife and family.
He skied until the end..... but, he didn't only ski until the end..... He raced until the end.....still winning trophies and titles, in his last race.
He skied with not only his own children, but his grandchildren.... and great grandchildren, and the children of friends and boy scout troops, and veterans...and "Silver Streaks", and anyone who was willing to make a turn or two.
He was an amazing man from a different era...
74-years of marriage...... a number, I hope to never match... for my wife's sake.....it's hard enough for her to live with me at age 41... after 11-years; nevermind if I make it to 105..... she will push me in a lake....
May we all live a life as blessed as his Dick's and have a love, as deep, as his was for Milley
Dick, I know you are listening and watching today......
I ask that you please look down upon me, and everyone here today; and help us live our lives, half as well as you did.
Until we meet again.....
Climb to Glory!
***************************
#veteran #climbtoglory #respect #DAV #IAVA #skiing #USSA The Snow Report Show #psia #hero #WWII
WWII World War Two
Skiing
Brotherhood
Army Mountain Warfare School
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 5
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Another one of the greatest Generation passing on! I'm glad he was able to help the 10th Mountain in this last decade.
(5)
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CPT Ray Gilmore
It has been hard to make friends with them; and then see them pass, but the experiences are worth it.
(0)
(0)
MAJ Matthew Arnold
My dad was in the 87th's regimental reconnaissance platoon leader and probably knew John Woodward, in the picture above on the left. Is Mr. Woodward still with us?
(0)
(0)
I want to know more about this race. I'm always looking for reasons to ski.
(2)
(0)
SSG Carlos Madden
CPT Ray Gilmore - Nice to know there's another local skiier on RP. I've actually never skied Cranmore (or raced) but this sounds like a lot of fun. I usually find myself just about every weekend at Wildcat, Attitash, Loon, Cannon, Sunday River, or Mt Abraham. If there's no snow, I'm hiking in the area. Looking to do Tuckerman's this year as well. I'll send you a PM about your events.
(1)
(0)
CPT Ray Gilmore
I met Dick in the start gate of this race (the HSMC); but we also raced together in the USSA Masters Series...
This series, runs all over New England, but again it is racing.
http://nemasters.org/
This series, runs all over New England, but again it is racing.
http://nemasters.org/
New England Masters is ski racing at its best! We focus on the love of the sport. Just you, the gates, and an occasional friendly rivalry among your age group! Join fun-loving racers of all ages and abilities at different ski areas every weekend, in the New England Masters Sise Cup Series. Whether you’re 18 years old or 80+, never raced, or aWorld Cup athlete; you’ll find what you are looking for here! Your speed is relative, but yourski...
(1)
(0)
CPT Ray Gilmore
SSG Carlos Madden additionally there are a ton of us, veterans, in the MWV area...
Climbing guides, ski instructors, golf pros, business men & women...
Most of us are not on RP; or they are a generation or two older.
Climbing guides, ski instructors, golf pros, business men & women...
Most of us are not on RP; or they are a generation or two older.
(1)
(0)
SSG Carlos Madden
CPT Ray Gilmore - I'd love to connect with you guys sometime this winter. I'm surprised we haven't crossed paths yet. We did the Warrior Expeditions Ice Climbing event last year and met a few guys who were vets and local instructors.
(0)
(0)
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