As Thanksgiving draws nigh again, I am especially thankful this year for the memory of Wayne Block.
I was proud to be Wayne’s son-in-law for twenty-five years. He died on July 4 of this year.
I was also proud to take part in his funeral, singing one of his favorites “One Day at a Time” as well as a medley of “Great Speckled Bird” and “I’ll Fly Away.”
Wayne’s youngest daughter Marybeth (my former wife and still close friend) spoke wonderfully at the funeral about the family farm on which Wayne was born and lived almost his entire life.
One of the fondest thoughts of Wayne and his family I have stems from a story Marybeth told me years ago –
Wayne bought a stereo system for the family living room (in the early1970’s I think and one of those large wooden consoles which had a turntable on one side and space for LPs on the other.) The system came with a free LP! It was – Roy Acuff’s Great Speckled Bird. If you have never heard this classic recording from 1938 – or even if you have – visit here to listen –
Priceless. Thank you Wayne. Rest peacefully.
