He's My Cousin

The Geeslin family. Della and Don with children Mark Linda Gayle and Kent.

His name is Kent Geeslin, he is my cousin, I love him and I'm going to miss him. The cousins on my Mother's side of the family were more like brothers and sisters in the younger days. We romped and stomped, fox and coon hunted with Papa Dan, played follow the leader on horseback, hunted, fished and played tag football that seemed a lot more like tackle than touch. Kent and I shared our hearts and shoulders when we lost Mama Mae Delle and Papa Dan, then our Dads passed and then our Moms. Then we buried Mickey our older cousin by a few years and that's when we realized we had gotten older, time had passed too quickly and we had gone too long between visits.

I  moved back closer to home, closer to family and to friends. Since being back I had always figured I'd get back with Kent and other family folks and talk and remember...but now I will see Kent only one more time on this earth and that will be to say, "Goodbye, I love you man!" It was too long between visits, too long between hugs and too long between the sharing of family memories and love.

I'll miss you Bro. Give your Mom and Dad a hug and if you don't mind, give my Mom and Dad a hug for me. Tell Mama Mae Delle, Papa Dan, Tate, Wanna and all the other family and friends hello. And, if Mickey isn't off hunting somewhere, tell him I miss him too!