James Radcliffe Brokenshire

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Susan Brokenshire-Prater on August 22, 2010:

A Native American said, "When you were born, you cried and the world rejoiced. Live your life so that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice." Those words are true of how my father, Jim Brokenshire, lived life. He did so humbly, never expecting praise, applause or a medal. The light that was within him, shown brightly, and was expressed in all his actions. Many of you knew him as a friend, a co-worker, a mentor or as a neighbor. In every one of these roles, he modeled his inner beliefs and values. He never wavered. He had a definite sense of right and wrong. He modeled patriotism, service and respect for the country he served and the community he lived in. As a husband and a father, he was a "hero". Not many people have been as blessed as we were to have such an example of strength, authority, honesty, faith and love in their lives. These values that he lived each day were instilled in us. One of the greatest gifts that he bestowed was his steady love and commitment to family. It made for a hard act to follow for any man -as no one could measure up to my father. The love that my parents shared nurtured each of us, and was a joy to behold, as I enviously watched them hold hands throughout their 55 years of marriage. Our parents gave us a steady and firm family foundation. These reasons and many more are why "the world cries" though I am certain my dad is rejoicing. On his computer desk he has a poem "To a Soldier's Sweetheart" written by James Brady, WWII Private First Class, 35th Signal Company. As we cry, he might quote these lines: "Don't let my death spoil life for you Just carry on as others do" Susan Brokenshire-Prater August 21, 2010

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