Sunset for friends, Phil and Jim

I heard today about the peaceful death of two friends from the 60’s, both whose friendship I have renewed in recent years. I heard about the long expected death of one friend, Jim, today at Church. A member of our Tuesday faith sharing group told me that our friend had died last Thursday. This friend had been a prison chaplain in the 60’s at Fox Lake Correctional Institution where some of my fellow Milwaukee 14 members were imprisoned. I heard about him, that he had left the active priesthood and was married, but did not get to know him till about 6 years ago when my Milwaukee 14 friends, who knew him from prison, came to visit. Since then we have been in contact and when our common friend, Lorenzo Rosebaugh, a member of the Milwaukee 14 that was at Fox Lake prison, was killed in Guatemala we worked together on a memorial service for Lorenzo here in Milwaukee.

Jim had been ill for a very long time from cancer and when he went into hospice care at home he asked me to join a faith sharing group at his home every Tuesday morning. I did and it was quite a rewarding experience meeting new and old friends and sharing our daily struggles and joys. Although Jim was dying, he was clear minded and totally prepared for death. His gratitude for life and spiritual insights seem to grow as he was approaching death.

The other news of a friend, Phil, from the sixties who had died came by way of the internet tonight. We were both in the Jesuit seminary together in the early 60’s. I was preparing for the priesthood and he was preparing to be a brother and nurse. We both left the Jesuits in the late 60’s and went our separate ways. About 6 or so years ago we got back in contact. Phil, after retiring as a nurse and struggling with many illnesses had developed what I would call an internet “joke ministry.” People would send him jokes by email and he would send them on to the rest of his friends. Since I have two other friends with the same “joke ministry” I would exchange jokes from one with the other two.

Phil was from Wisconsin and in recent years made frequent visits back here, traveling from northern California by train. We would get together yearly, and he would share many funny stories. He had stayed with us for a few days last fall. My wife and I talked about going to visit him in the Redwood forest of northern California but never did.

Not receiving any jokes from him for awhile I knew he was not feeling good. When I sent him a joke tonight it came back with an automatic response from his brother saying Phil had died in his sleep recently at his home. After I responded to his brother, he sent me an note and obituary.

Both my friends were characters but quite different. However, they both had a good sense of humor and were connected to me by our common Catholic faith. I feel blessed to have known them, especially in a more personal way the last six years. Now they both Rest In Peace.

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