Ralph Robert Wensinger

West Point, 1959

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by John Wensinger on May 11, 2002:

The following words are from John Wensinger, Ralph's father, in a letter to Rosalyn Wensinger Sands, Ralph's younger sister. San Francisco November 22, 1968 Dear Rosalyn and Bob, I have not written sooner for the simple reason that, after all, what is there to say? None of us who were close to him have had much desire to write, or to talk, for the past month. I have tried and tried to rationalize his death by repeating over and over that it has happened to others in the past and will happen to untold thousands in the future, but that does not ease the pain. I have grasped at straws and at safe, bland orthodox cliches such as "life must go on" and other senseless babble, but I just cannot reason myself out of this terrible hurt. Both your Mother and I have tried to comfort ourselves with the thought that his death may have spared him many heartaches and disappointments in the decades to come, but we know, in our hearts, and you know, too, that Ralph's vibrant, buoyant drive would have overcome those obstacles as he had done in the past, and that he would have emerged a stronger man after each victory. But what hurts us most is the terrible, certain knowledge that he will never again see a desert sunset; never again behold the brilliant winter stars, nor the Aurora as he flies over the white Arctic wastes; nor will be ever hear again the music of Christmas chimes; nor smell the pungent fragrance of a campfire. These thoughts hurt us, but Ralph is now at peace, beyond all hurts, forever. So we all must stand tall, proud with a fierce pride that we knew, loved and were loved by a great and good man. And we must look to the future, to the long horizons you and Bob have, and to Marilyn and Ken's children and their dreams and aspirations, as life unfolds before them. That is the only thing left in life for Mom and myself. With love, Dad

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