David R. Lodwick

West Point, 2007

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Lisa Kraft on October 16, 2007:

I must put these memories and thoughts down before they fade. David-I had no idea how much you guys loved each other. What you experienced with your rugby buddies was special and unique. When Ewak walked up to the front of the church and the other players stood around him, I realized the true meaning of team. When one of you smiles, all of you smile. When one of you hurts, all of you hurt. When one of you dies, some of each of you dies. This I witnessed. In my 46 long years I have not been part of the spirit that you boys shared. Ewak’s poem told us so much about the relationship that radiated throughout each and every one of you. The struggle he had reading it expressed the love he has for you, and the love he will always have for you. I never want to forget what I witnessed on that day when those who love you said good bye to the earthly you. But, oh David, we will never say good bye to the spirit of you. You remain with us always. That smile, that way you talked with all those marbles in your mouth; the way you loved; the way you shared. No, David, you are far from a saint, but how hard is it to love a saint? You gave of yourself, and you received so much back. Standing in the cemetery I listened to the drum beats, the rifles echo, and the bugle play. Goodbye to the earthly Dave; hello to the spirit that lingers with us always. As we stood there, the sun peaked out from behind a cloud for the first time that day. David, I know you smiled on all of us. As your parents walked away, your buddies threw their arms around each other feeling you with them not for the last time, but I think it seemed so to them. You are part of that team for eternity. Oh, David, we will miss the human you, but we will always have YOU. The next thing I will always cherish was watching each one of your teammates take a piece of the earthly you and have his special moment of goodbye. They kneeled, they prayed, they shared. I hope you let each one know that you were there. I know you are still with us, Dave. Just like I know Granddad is with me as well as my mother. I never knew all you had. David, you were one lucky young man, one lucky young man.

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