A Mighty Prince Has Fallen

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It seems that just a few days ago I was writing a tribute to one of the finest men I have ever known, Floyd Dees, and today I am reading the obituary for his son, an equally fine man. You can read what I said about Floyd Dees on my blog entry at the time.  

At any rate, at the time, I stated that Floyd Dees was a good man . . . .and he was. Indeed, there was no finer example of what a man should be than "Mr. Dees."  In fact everyone I knew, with the exception of myself, his son and a few intimate friends always referred to him as "Mr. Dees."  It was a title he earned based on his character. 

After I learned of Eddies' battle with Pancreatic cancer I wrote a small blurb on his FB page using the old saying, "The nut never falls too far from the tree." I jokingly added that I didn't mean he was a nut . . . . and I didn't. What I meant is that as he got older, and lost weight due to his cancer he was looking more and more like his father.  

To look like Floyd Dees is not a bad thing but the even better thing is that he has demonstrated many of the same qualities that his father had. He was loyal to his friends; polite in conversation; caring in the midst of need; wanted to fix what was broken if he could; and friendly with everyone. That's how Eddie was.  

I saw Eddie in a number of ways and I appreciate them all. He was a fabulous teacher; he was a great coach and motivator; he always wanted to position people so they could do their best. Not only that, he loved his family, friends and hometown of Hope Mills. He was honored that they allowed him to be mayor and he was proud of the roll he played in the restoration of the town lake.  Floyd Dees, the man whose life was the pattern for Eddie was, as I said earlier, "Mr. Dees" but Eddie Dees was "Mr. Hope Mills." 

Eddie knew every street, creek, trail, and building in Hope Mills but he loved the people who drove on those streets, fished in that lake, played golf on the nearby courses, and worked in those buildings. For Eddie it was all about the people in His community and helping make their lives better. I am not sure he realized that through that whole process of making the community better he was making himself better. 

I saw Eddie as a son and a stepson. I saw how he cared for his father and how he was patient with my mother-in-law. I watched him under stress of all kinds and knew that he was made of the stern stuff that makes men both gentle and strong. 

A mighty prince has fallen and his absence will be felt by many but most of all it will be felt by his girls Casey & Carey.  One thing I have learned over the years is that life is not always fair but God is always good.  

Generations yet to be born will benefit from the life of Eddie Dees. His legacy is in his students, his athletes, and his family. 

I offer these words from Michael W, Smith to those of us who called Eddie Dees, "Friend."

Packing up the dreams God planted
In the fertile soil of you
I can't believe the hopes He's granted
Means a chapter of your life is through

But we'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

And with the faith and love God's given
Springing from the hope we know
We will pray the joy you live in
Is the strength that now you show

We'll keep you close as always
It won't even seem you've gone
'Cause our hearts in big and small ways
Will keep the love that keeps us strong

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them
And a friend will not say never
'Cause the welcome will not end
Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

To live as friends

Though it's hard to let you go
In the Father's hands we know
That a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends

No a lifetime's not too long
To live as friends